


Roses in Ink

by Professional_number_cruncher



Category: Cars (Pixar Movies)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Flower Shop & Tattoo Parlor, Danny and Tim both smoke, F/F, Gen, Humanized Cars (Pixar Movies), Jackson is a chronic worrier, M/M, Medium Burn, Not really slow burn but kinda, Post-Concussion Syndrome, Tim tries to help but just makes things worse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-11
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:13:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 19,456
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27498517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Professional_number_cruncher/pseuds/Professional_number_cruncher
Summary: It wasn’t like Cruz didn’t know that the flowershop’s neighbor was a tattoo parlor. She passed it every day, glancing at the tinted windows without interest. She didn’t want a tattoo, never had, and the parlor wasn’t loud or disruptive. So, why should she care?
Relationships: Cruz Ramirez & Danny Swervez, Jackson Storm/Danny Swervez, Natalie Certain & Danny Swervez, Natalie Certain/Cruz Ramirez, Tim Treadless & Danny Swervez
Comments: 1
Kudos: 8





	1. Chapter 1

It wasn’t like Cruz didn’t know that the flowershop’s neighbor was a tattoo parlor. She passed it every day, glancing at the tinted windows without interest. She didn’t want a tattoo, never had, and the parlor wasn’t loud or disruptive. So, why should she care?  
  
That answer revealed itself right when she opened up the store for the day. A short girl with ink up and down her arms and heavy eye makeup. “Hey, you an employee?” She asked, “I need some flowers, the boys were open late smoking and I can’t stand the smell.”  
  
“Yeah, I um…” Cruz nodded, “I work here, what exactly are you looking for?” The blonde adjusted her apron, tying back her hair and humming, “Just something for uh...the smell?”  
  
The girl nodded, “Yeah it’s bad, I don’t know why Chick lets them do it, he knows I take clients early.”  
  
“Oh Chick’s your boss, right?” she asked, approaching a wall display, “He owns the tattoo parlor, I mean, his name is on it?”  
  
The girl followed closely, “Yeah, he’s the owner. Have you worked here long? I’d never noticed this place before today.”  
  
“It’s my aunt’s shop. She moved cities to retire and left it with me about…” the taller woman hummed as she thought, “four months ago, but I’ve worked here for like...6 summers in a row.”  
  
“Huh, and I never saw it before today,” the shorter girl grinned, “funny how things fade into the background like that.”  
  
Cruz nodded, “Uh, yeah...I’m Cruz, by the way, thought you should know since we’re...work neighbors,” she changed the subject quickly after that, “This row is probably the most fragrant, do you have any preference in what kind of smell?”  
  
Natalie tilted her head, looking at the flowers, “Not really, what’s your favorite?” she then added, “Natalie, by the way. People call me Nat though.”  
  
“Geraniums are my favorite,” Cruz answered, “my friend Jackson likes orchids though. Tía preferred jasmines.” She hummed, “I think the area it’ll be in is important though...gotta make sure it...fits.”  
  
Natalie hummed, “I have plenty of space if someone can reach the top shelf, besides that, something small is preferable.” she pulled out her phone, “Let me text D and see if he can help me, since it’s his fucking weed.”  
  
“I can reach most shelves,” Cruz blurted out, then laughed awkwardly, “I mean, if that’s your worry, I could...you’re just next door, so…”  
  
“I don’t want to pull you away from your work…” Natalie started, “but if you wouldn’t mind…”  
  
“Not at all,” Cruz answered, grabbing several stems of geraniums in varying shades of red, “That’ll be $15.” She walked to the counter and placed them in a vase, carefully arranging them.  
  
Natalie’s eyes widened, as she pulled out her wallet, “Cheaper than I expected,” she mumbled.  
  
“What’d you expect?” Cruz laughed, “This your first time getting flowers for yourself?”  
  
Natalie rolled her eyes, “I didn’t know this place existed and it’s right next door,” she smiled slightly, “and I don’t know, maybe you had like a service fee for reaching shelves.”  
  
“Very funny,” she rolled her eyes, “I’m doing that out of the kindness of my heart, Natalie.” Cruz set the vase aside and opened the cash register, “Besides, I get to swindle the drunks from your shop when they buy bouquets to apologize for a tattoo they shouldn’t have gotten.”  
  
Natalie laughed, “How many customers do you actually get with drunk tattoos?”  
  
“A week or a month?” She countered, “Because I got half a dozen last weekend, I think from a bachelor party? All got the name of the bride to be as a tramp stamp.” Cruz smiled to herself, “They really enjoy sharing their life stories too.”  
  
“Oh my god,” Natalie sighed, “I did a bachelorette party, sorry, ‘bride tribe’ last month, they tip like shit.”  
  
“It’s because they overpay on apology flowers,” Cruz chuckled, “I don’t get big groups like that too often though.”  
  
“Yeah, they're pretty easy to talk down when you know the type,” Natalie nodded, “I’m sick of attempted refunds”  
  
“If they got the tattoo, they need to pay,” Cruz grumbled, “Art isn’t free, those idiots need to understand that.” She softened, “Sorry, yesterday there was this customer that insisted I refund her because the flowers wilted.”  
  
Natalie laughed, “Why are you apologizing to me? I agree”  
  
“I just shouldn’t act so...unhappy,” Cruz shrugged, “That was the major rule for my summers.”  
  
Natalie shrugged, “Well I won’t rat you out. Feel free to bitch about customers to me all you want.”  
  
“I might take you up on that,” she sighed, handing Natalie the receipt and taking the potted geraniums in her arms, “Lead the way.”  
  
“Wait, you don’t have any lung issues do you?” Natalie asked as the pair walked, “Because I opened a few windows, but it’s still going to be… bad air.”  
  
“I...have a brother that smokes weed, if that’s your question,” she answered, “I’ll be fine.”  
  
Natalie nodded, as she unlocked the building, “Yeah… Danny and Tim are going to be the death of me. They do this like every Friday night.”  
  
“I’m assuming they’re coworkers and not clients,” Cruz chuckled, “I don’t know much about tattoos but I think weekly is too much?”  
  
Natalie laughed, “That’s how you run out of canvas,” her smile fell slightly, “Danny’s a dumbass and lets Tim tattoo on him some weeks though. He’s got just about every flash tattoo we do.”  
  
“Flash tattoo?” Cruz asked, “And isn’t that irresponsible? Tim having one of those needle things while high?”  
  
“It’s not a piercing gun,” Natalie rolled her eyes, “and flash tattoos are the little ones you can get discounted on holidays, they’re on a template and they all take like 20 minutes so they’re cheap. I have a Friday the 13th one on my ankle.”  
  
“Oh,” Cruz nodded, focusing on walking after that, feeling more than a little foolish.  
  
Natalie flicked on the lights, heading towards her studio, “I wouldn’t know the first thing about flower care, just so you know.”  
  
“So I...shouldn’t leave you to fend for these?” Cruz joked awkwardly.  
  
“Exactly,” Natalie nodded, “I’m going to need very specific instructions, or they’ll need to be replaced in like two days.”  
  
“That doesn’t sound too bad,” Cruz mumbled, blushing slightly, “And I can just check in on these babies on my lunch, it’s not out of the way or anything…”  
  
“You’d do that?” Natalie asked, before calmly saying, “you don’t have to, I’m sure someone here knows something.”  
  
“I wouldn’t mind at all,” Cruz smiled slightly, “Plus, if Danny and Tim are hot boxing this place every week, it’ll need a little expert care.”  
  
Natalie smiled, “If you’re sure you don’t mind.”  
  
“Positive,” she nodded, “Now...where do you want me to put these?”  
  
Natalie looked around, “Anywhere but the table,” she then added, “and please don’t hide any of my art _too much_.”  
  
“Can I look at your art?” she asked, looking around before choosing a shelf above a table, “Or is it like...private?”  
  
Natalie smiled, “If it’s here, it’s free reign,” she walked over to her shelf, “I have my physical portfolio somewhere, but most of my work is only on my instagram now, printing pictures is like… old school.”  
  
“I like art on paper...or like...physical?” Cruz struggled to explain, placing the vase up above the table, “It always feels more personal, you know?”  
  
“Babes, like two thirds of my work is etched into people’s skin forever. I know exactly what you’re saying.”  
  
“Is that weird? Creating something so...permanent?” she turned to the smaller girl.  
  
Natalie shrugged, “It’s a little daunting, but you know, it’s just like any other medium.”  
  
“Flowers die in a month when cut, with or without good care,” Cruz shook her head, “It’s pretty far from permanent.”  
  
Natalie turned quickly, holding a book, “I found it! This has shit from my apprenticeship so the early stuff isn’t that good but…”  
  
“But nothing, I want to see,” she beamed, taking the book and opening it to the first page, “Apprenticeship makes it sound like some sort of magical thing...or like...you’re a squire.”  
  
Natalie fidgeted, “You need to get back to your store! You can take it if you want just… don’t let anything happen to it?”  
  
“I’ll protect it with my life,” Cruz joked while closing the book, “What about your customers though? Don’t you need this?”  
  
“You can borrow it for a few hours,” Natalie smiled, “like I said, most of my stuff is online. This is purely self indulgent.”  
  
“Are you sure?” she asked, starting toward your door, “I’ll bring it back at my lunch break, promise.”  
  
Natalie nodded, “Just as long as it makes it back here safely.”  
  
Cruz opened the front door and smiled, “I’ll do my best. Thanks, Natalie, I’m glad you came into my store today. Even if it meant Danny hotboxed this place to hell and back last night.”  
  
Natalie blushed slightly, turning away from the taller girl, “...yeah, uhh I should probably start setting up, I’m already behind.”  
  
“Oh shit, sorry,” Cruz blushed, turning away, “I’ll leave you to it, uh, I’ll just drop this off when I take my lunch.”  
  
Natalie smiled, “I’ll be anxiously awaiting your return.”  
  
Cruz closed the door and took a deep breath, gripping the portfolio to her chest as she walked back to her store, trying to calm her racing heart before she returned to work.


	2. Chapter 2

When Cruz opened the door of the shop, Jackson was standing in the middle of it, looking panicked. “Where the hell did _you go_?” he asked her.  
  
“Next door,” Cruz cleared her throat, “Why? What’s wrong? I was only gone for like...ten minutes tops.”  
  
“What’s wrong is that I got here and you were gone, and I had no idea what happened to you,” Jackson said, “and I was here alone for…” he checked the clock, “twelve minutes, so you’re wrong about the time thing.”  
  
“You’re never here in the morning.” Cruz stated, “Neither are customers, so…” she walked to the counter and set the binder down next to the register, “Sorry about the time thing. Did you need something?”  
  
“I just wanted to check in with you,” Jackson shrugged, “you were kind of… down last night.”  
  
“Oh…” Cruz blinked, nodding, “Yeah...thanks for checking in. I guess I was kinda homesick. I’m fine now though.”  
  
Jackson picked up the binder, “What’s this?” he tilted his head, “You get a new art book?”  
  
“I’m borrowing it,” she said, “Just...someone I met’s portfolio. I wanted to check it out.”  
  
“It out?” Jackson asked, flipping it open and reading the name, “Or _her_ out?”  
  
Cruz frowned, “Give it back, Jackson, you’re being an ass. I just wanted to see her work. She was buying some geraniums, it was only polite to show interest in her job.”  
  
“I’m just looking at it,” Jackson argued, “Maybe I’m _actually_ interested in her work.”  
  
“Stop, you’re making me feel bad,” Cruz mumbled, crossing her arms, “I _am_ interested.”  
  
Jackson gave Cruz a lopsided grin, “Then look through it with me, she seems to be really good.”  
  
Cruz rolled her eyes, “I can’t look through it, you’re holding it so I can’t.”  
  
Jackson set it on the counter, “Fine, fine,” he hummed as the two flipped through the first couple pages, “So… she came to buy flowers and you ended up leaving and coming back with her portfolio?”  
  
Cruz nodded, “She works next door, apparently her coworkers thought it would be fun to hotbox last night, so she wanted something to help mask the smell.”  
  
“And you gave her your favorite flower?” Jackson raised an eyebrow, “And why did you leave the shop at all?”  
  
"She… couldn't reach the spot she was going to put them?"  
  
Jackson frowned, “she doesn’t have a ladder in there?”  
  
Cruz shrugged, "I don't know, I didn't ask. I just… offered to help."  
  
“That’s how you get murdered.”  
  
"I made it back here fine, didn't I?" Cruz crossed her arms, "It wasn't that big of a deal."  
  
“You could’ve been murdered,” Jackson shook his head, “You don’t even want a tattoo.”  
  
Cruz huffed, "maybe I do."  
  
Jackson rolled his eyes, “What would you get?”  
  
"A…" Cruz paused "flower, obviously. I could do the basic lesbian thing and get lavender on my arm, but I kind of want some geraniums."  
  
“Why?” Jackson asked.  
  
"Why are you asking so many questions?" Cruz countered, "It's not like I met up with a drug dealer or anything"  
  
“You followed a complete stranger to a secondary location!” Jackson argued, “You had no way of knowing if she _actually_ works next door!”  
  
"Jackson, it was fine! Nothing happened!"  
  
“Yeah but what if it wasn’t? Then what? I don’t want to be stuck with this flora filled shit hole! And I don’t want to explain to your family that you were murdered because you’re a dumb lesbian!”  
  
"Ouch," Cruz rolled her eyes, returning her gaze to the book, "remember that you actively choose to spend your time here next time you call it a shit hole"  
  
Jackson turned the page, “She doesn’t seem to do many flowers.”  
  
"There's other artists that work there, I just started talking to her first"  
  
“Because you think she’s hot?” He deadpanned.  
  
"What?" Cruz asked, "No, I… maybe. Shut up, Jackson."  
  
Jackson nodded, “So...you think she’s hot? Is she? Is she gonna come back for this?”  
  
"I'm going to bring it back on my lunch," Cruz smiled, "you can come if you want"  
  
“I can? Won’t I ruin your chances of romancing?” Jackson asked.  
  
"I'm not romancing!" Cruz argued, "I'm just trying to return it"  
  
“And get her number, knowing you.”  
  
"What? No, I'm… okay maybe it would be nice to get her number."  
  
“So...you and Miss Natalie Certain?” Jackson chuckled, “Do you have a _cruuuush?_ ”  
  
" _Jackson_ , I've known her for like twenty minutes. I don't have a crush."  
  
“It’s a full blown relationship in your head already?”  
  
"No it isn't!" Cruz protested.  
  
“Cruz, be honest,” Jackson grinned, “I know you, you’re totally whipped, aren’t you?”  
  
"I am _not_! I offered to come over on my lunch to check on the flowers and return this. That's all, Jackson."  
  
“You’re...taking care of flowers she bought during your lunch?”  
  
"... yeah?"  
  
“You’re whipped.”  
  
"Are you coming with me, or not?" Cruz asked.  
  
Jackson rolled his eyes, “I guess.”  
  
"Awesome," Cruz set the book down and started walking away, "you might as well help out while you're here."  
  
“I don’t work here,” Jackson stated, “You don’t pay me.”  
  
Cruz rolled her eyes, "I'll hire you right now. Put you on the schedule. I know your availability."  
  
“I don’t want to work here.” Jackson said, “If I did, I’d ask.”  
  
“You spend all your time here, Stormy, you might as well get paid for it,” Cruz pointed out.  
  
"I don't want to though," Jackson repeated before asking, "when was the last time the succulents got any water?"  
  
"I wouldn't even have to train you, you could start like, yesterday," Cruz continued, "which is when they should've been watered."  
  
Jackson frowned, tying the spare apron around his waist, “Why didn’t you then, dipshit?”  
  
"I forgot to!" Cruz rolled her eyes, "And you always do it"  
  
The man grabbed a watering can, grumbling, “Yeah, well it isn’t my shop.”  
  
"Which is why I'm _trying_ to hire you," Cruz said, "it would take like fifteen minutes to do the paperwork and then you can get paid for the stuff you're doing, and I can occasionally have a day off."  
  
“....What would the pay be?” Jackson teased, watering a few of the plants by the door, “I’m kidding, I do this because I want to. Even though you’re totally taking advantage of me.”  
  
"Then I'll start paying you minimum wage, bring me your social security card tomorrow," Cruz grinned.  
  
Jackson frowned, “No, you’ll steal my identity.”  
  
"I will not, what would I want that for?"  
  
“Don’t be a bitch,” he huffed.  
  
"Then don't be an ass," Cruz teased.  
  
He frowned, “Fuck off, I’m watering your shitty plants.”  
  
Cruz rolled her eyes, "You baby talk them when you think I'm not paying attention, don't call them shitty."  
  
“Fuck you, Cruz,” Jackson stated, “You’re a fucking bitch, you know that?”  
  
"You're the one who hangs out with me," Cruz sang, grinning, "you like that I'm a bitch."  
  
“I wish that you had been murdered this morning. I regret worrying about you.”  
  
"Then I'm going to return this without you," Cruz said, "right now, and I'm spending a while there."  
  
“...do not.” Jackson demanded, “She’ll totally be suspicious then.”  
  
"She probably already is," Cruz sighed.  
  
“Do you know if she’s…into girls?”  
  
The woman sighed, checking the books, "I don't."  
  
“....Ci….” Jackson frowned.  
  
"Shut up,"  
  
“I’m just...I don’t want you to get hurt because you’re crushing on a straight girl.”  
  
"I'm not crushing, I barely know her," Cruz said, "I just think she's hot."  
  
“Is she hot?” Jackson asked, “also you’re totally crushing.”  
  
"I just _said_ she was, and that I'm not." Cruz rolled her eyes.  
  
Jackson frowned, setting the watering can on the counter, “I know you better than to believe that, Ci.”


	3. Chapter 3

The door of the shop opened and Natalie stuck her head around the corner enough to see that it was Danny before yelling, "Hey, _fucker_ stop smoking in here."  
  
“Chill out, it was mostly Tim last night,” Danny rolled his eyes, dropping his backpack behind the counter, “What’s got you all up in arms?”  
  
"It smelled like _shit_ in here," Natalie said, "I had to go next door to get something to mask it. By the way, did you know there's a _florist_ next door?"  
  
“Uh...yeah? Ramirez Roses or some shit, right?” Danny rolled his eyes, “Been there like...forever.”  
  
"Well I didn't know about it," Natalie said, walking towards Danny, "and now I have to keep _flowers_ alive to impress the girl who works there because you and Tim can't go somewhere else to smoke, or _open a window_."  
  
“Why do you care about the old lady that runs the place?” he asked, washing his hands, “She’s like...sixty something.”  
  
"No she isn't," Natalie rolled her eyes, "have you ever actually been in there?"  
  
"Natalie, did you hit your head? Are _you_ high?" Danny asked, "the owner is like… at least fifty."  
  
“What does mi tia mean?” Natalie asked, “It’s like grandma or something, right?”  
  
“Aunt.”  
  
“Yeah whatever, the girl there is the whatever year old’s niece then,” Natalie said.  
  
"She’s only ever been here in the summer, are you sure you're not high, Nat?"  
  
"Are you saying I hallucinated this girl?"  
  
“....Maybe the weed smell got you high and you’re fantasizing,” he shrugged.  
  
"You're full of shit," Natalie rolled her eyes, "look, there are the flowers, and there's where my portfolio should be, because I let her borrow it."  
  
He grinned, “Nat you lost your portfolio after buying flowers and daydreaming about a pretty available girl?”  
  
"I'm not having this conversation with you right now. I'm still mad at you."  
  
Danny rolled his eyes, "we told you you can smoke with us. Don't be upset that you never have any fun."  
  
“She’s coming by to drop my binder off at her lunch,” she stated, “Don’t....embarrass me.”  
  
"What if it's during one of your appointments?"  
  
“...shit,” Natalie frowned, “I am scheduled back to back today, aren’t I? Ugh, so I’ll totally miss her.”  
  
Danny glanced at the calendar, "unless her lunch is right now, or in eight hours, yeah. You will," he grinned, "bummer."  
  
“Stop it,” she whined, “I hate this fucking job...what if I just....delay my schedule a little. Is it all regulars today?”  
  
"You have two people who flew in if I remember right. And you know it's a dick move to reschedule clients anyways," Danny rolled his eyes, "And you're the worst about doing that."  
  
“ _Fuck_ ,” Natalie sighed, dropping into a chair, “So there’s no way I’ll get to see her when she stops by.”  
  
"I don't know, my sisters come in while I'm working all the time. If she's nice clients don't usually mind"  
  
" _You_ drop in while I'm working all the time, " Natalie nodded, "you asked to borrow a pigment I was _using_ once."  
  
Danny nodded and concluded, “So they shouldn’t mind that your crush is dropping in for a minute to check on a plant or whatever.”  
  
Natalie groaned, "Just… Can you try not to let Chick talk to her? He always makes me look bad"  
  
“What was that?” Chick called from a back room, “Nat, I heard you say my name.”  
  
"No you didn't," Natalie yelled back, "this is probably just an old person thing. You're hearing things"  
  
“Nah, you and Danny were talking about a visitor,” he shouted back, “Are you two scheming?”  
  
"What? Never" Natalie yelled.  
  
"She didn't know about the flower shop next door until today," Danny yelled, grinning.  
  
“The Ramirez place?” the man stepped into the main room, “It’s been here longer than this place. It’s a family owned spot, I think the youngest girl just inherited it?”  
  
Natalie looked at Danny, “I _told you_ the owner wasn’t sixty.”  
  
“Oh she was, I think the current girl’s aunt? I remember some kind of tragic backstory that she shared with me when I stopped by,” Chick hummed, “The new girl, her name is...Cruz? I think. What about it though?”  
  
“Natalie has a _cruush_ ,” Danny said, grin still present, “and lent the girl next door her portfolio.”  
  
“Oh, Nat, you’re crushing on this Cruz Ramirez?” Chick smirked, “How’d that come about?”  
  
“You let Danny and Tim smoke in here last night, _that’s_ how it came about.”  
  
“I don’t see the connection,” Chick laughed, “they do that all the time.”  
  
“It smelled gross and I wanted to get flowers to cover it up!” Natalie argued.  
  
“Why didn’t you ever do this before?” Chick laughed.  
  
“It’s never been this bad before!” Natalie said, checking her watch, “Ugh, Jayden’s going to be here in ten minutes to finish his coverup, get _out_ \- of my space.”  
  
“I’ll go, but why did I come up when talking about Nat’s crush on this flower girl?”  
  
“She doesn’t want you to embarrass her,” Danny said.  
  
“It’s my shop, I get to embarrass anyone I want,” Chick stated plainly, “Sorry, Nat.”  
  
Danny grinned, “fuck yeah.”  
  
“Fuck off,” Natalie grumbled, “I hate working here.”  
  
“No you don’t,” Chick said, walking towards the front.  
  
“You don’t know that,” she argued.  
  
“Yes I do,” Chick called back.  
  
“Fuck you, Chick,” she shouted.


	4. Chapter 4

“You’re acting kinda desperate, Ci,” Jackson stated, watching the girl finish looking through the binder. It had been hours, with a couple sales, but mostly Cruz gushing over how talented her crush was. He didn’t mind that much, but when she asked him to go with her to drop it off, he knew he had to give her a hard time.  
  
Cruz rolled her eyes, “I am _not_ , now come on, I have to return this before she thinks I stole it or something.”  
  
“Maybe you should steal it, it’d get her attention,” the man teased.  
  
“Fuck you, Jackson,” Cruz said, walking away from the counter, “come on.”  
  
“Fine,” he rolled his eyes, following the girl, “What are you gonna do if _Natalie_ is busy?”  
  
“I don’t know…” Cruz frowned.  
  
“You’re…an idiot.” Jackson laughed, shoving his hands into his jacket pockets, “Seriously, Ci, you’re dumb as fuck.”  
  
“Shut up,” Cruz whined, “I don’t know why I invited you, you’re going to embarrass me.”  
  
Jackson was going to reply with something witty, but his train of thought was completely derailed after he opened the door. There was a hispanic man, probably about their age, talking with a man that looked straight out of an 80s film. Cruz faltered too, he could feel her presence still, and waited for her to make the first move.  
  
The younger man was in the middle of what looked like a very angry sentence, when he turned his head and looked at the pair, “You know what Chick, it’s cool. Natalie can keep her space. I don’t mind mine.”  
  
“I don’t see why you’re bitching about…” Chick followed his eyes, sighing, “You’re the worst, D, you know that?”  
  
“Leave me alone, don’t you have like… shop owner duties?”  
  
Chick smirked and winked at Danny before turning to the pair in the door, “Cruz Ramirez, right? I knew your aunt.”  
  
“I…” she nodded, “I’m Cruz, yeah....I assume you’re Chick?”  
  
“Yup, thanks for the flowers, Nat was ready to whine all day, I’m sure,” he hummed, “Now she’s just whining about being on shift when you drop by.”  
  
Danny vaulted the counter and approached the pair, “I’m Danny, Swervez. I’ll show you to her space.”  
  
“If she’s working, I don’t want to intrude,” Cruz mumbled, glancing at Jackson.  
  
“Think if we distract her she’d mess up, Ci? That’s not much faith,” he answered, “I think Cruz would _love_ to see it.”  
  
Danny nodded, “People come back while we’re working all the time. I actually need to bug her about borrowing my alcohol solution, so it’s fine.”  
  
“Are you sure?” Cruz asked, adjusting her grip on the binder, “I can just drop it off with you, can’t I?”  
  
“She’d kill me, literally kill me,” Danny glanced towards the studio, “probably in my sleep.”  
  
“Good for her,” Jackson deadpanned, “You’d probably deserve it.”  
  
Danny looked at the taller man, “You have fantastic skin, I’d love to… tattoo you sometime.”  
  
“You know you sounded like an idiot right then, yeah?” Jackson raised his eyebrows, “I don’t need to tell you how stupid it was?”  
  
“I get that a lot,” Danny winked, “It’s part of my charm.”  
  
“...Yeah.” Jackson rolled his eyes, “Anyways, Natalie?”  
  
“... right this way.” Danny said, starting towards Natalie’s studio.  
  
Cruz elbowed Jackson as she followed, “Stop being mean.”  
  
“I’m not being mean, Ci,” he stated.  
  
“Natalie,” Danny said, drawing out the last syllable, “I brought visitors, but I can’t stay because I’m… allergic to flowers.”  
  
“No you aren’t,” Natalie rolled her eyes.  
  
“Shut up.”  
  
“Oh, uh, hi...Natalie,” Cruz greeted, then winced at the machine in her hand, “I brought your portfolio back...where should I put it?”  
  
Jackson rolled his eyes at Cruz’s wince before saying, “I thought you were interested in getting one, you can’t even look at the gun?”  
  
Cruz elbowed him and Natalie laughed softly, “You can just set it on the table for now. Who’s...your friend?” She tried to hide the disappointment in her voice, but was sure she failed.  
  
“Oh! This is Jackson,” Cruz explained, “He’s...my friend.”  
  
“Very smooth,” he hummed, “Hi, Natalie.”  
  
Natalie forced a smile, "Hi, nice to meet you," she glanced at Cruz before going back to her work, "You're thinking about one? What are you thinking?"  
  
“Uh...well I’m not really sure yet,” she mumbled, wishing she could hide her blush, “Some sort of flower?”  
  
“You said a sprig of lavender on your arm or a geranium,” Jackson rolled his eyes.  
  
Natalie grinned, "Not to refer you to someone else, but Danny is _ridiculously_ good with flowers. He's done all of mine."  
  
“You have flowers?” the tall girl asked, “Where? What sorts?”  
  
"I'm not sure _which_ ones I have, I just choose what’s pretty, I’m sure Danny knows though.”  
  
“He’s the idiot that was with us, right? Not the one with the pornstache?” Jackson asked.  
  
Natalie laughed, “Yeah, he’s the dumbass. If either of you yelled that he’d probably come over here.”  
  
“Hey, idiot!” Jackson shouted, leaning against the table, mostly curious about if Natalie was right.  
  
“Jackson,” Cruz scolded him, reaching up and taking the flowers down to check on them, “Don’t be rude.”  
  
Sure enough, a few moments later, Danny appeared in the doorway, “What did you need, Nat, I have a job too.”  
  
“You do?” Natalie asked, “I kind of forgot, since you never do anything.”  
  
“...You can’t even fucking recognize some voices?” he asked, “I don’t sound like her.”  
  
“Yeah well _most people_ use my name unless Natalie told them not to,” Danny smiled, “Why, did _you_ need something? Like my number?”  
  
Jackson rolled his eyes, “Fuck off.”  
  
“He just wanted to see if it would work,” Cruz hummed, setting the flowers back.  
  
“While you’re here though,” Natalie said, “Cruz wants to get a tattoo, I told her you’re better at flowers than I am.”  
  
“Damn right I am,” Danny grinned.  
  
“Oh uh,” Cruz stuttered, “I don’t really know if I’m ready for it, I was...just thinking…about maybe doing it later…”  
  
“Well if you ever want to check out my work, my portfolio has been updated in the last year, unlike _Natalie’s_.”  
  
“I thought hers was nice,” she blushed, “It was really interesting.”  
  
“Sure, she’s a fantastic artist,” Danny agreed, “but she never remembers to photograph her work.”  
  
“I’m working on it,” Natalie grumbled, “Right, Jay?”  
  
“Don’t involve me in this Nat, you know I have shit judgement,” The man getting tattooed grumbled.  
  
“Yeah, you really got something tribal?” Natalie asked, “I mean I know you were eighteen and dumb, but Danny’s dumb and he never got-”  
  
“Stop bullying your client, Nat.” Danny rolled his eyes.  
  
“Fuck off, Danny,” Natalie sighed, “Let me focus.”  
  
“Oh, yeah, we should go, sorry to distract you,” Cruz blurted out, taking Jackson’s hoodie sleeve, and starting toward the exit, “It was nice talking to you!”  
  
“Smooth, Nat,” Danny hummed as the pair left the building, “Very smooth.”  
  
“Bye Cruz!” Natalie said, “how late are ya open? My apartment’s kind of… lifeless now that I think about it.”  
  
“You’re working, Natalie. I’ll go check out… the shop, because I actually have a break in clients.” Danny said.  
  
“You just want to hit on her friend,” Natalie stated.  
  
“You don’t even like flowers,” Danny countered.  
  
“I...I do now.”  
  
“You just like the florist,” Danny said.  
  
“No!”  
  
“Natalie, I know I’m just your client that you’ve kind of been ignoring, but it’s definitely the florist,” Jayden said.  
  
“Shut up, you got a tribal tattoo and you’re a white boy.” Natalie grumbled, turning her attention back to the skin, “And I do _not_ like her like that.”  
  
“Mhmm,” Danny hummed, “I’m going to go bug Chick about how you have a better spot than I do.”  
  
“Have fun with that, dipshit,” she answered calmly.


	5. Chapter 5

Cruz groaned as she shut the door behind her, “I just made a total fool of myself!”  
  
“I mean her friend seems like a dumbass,” Jackson said, “maybe she likes idiots.”  
  
“You’re no help,” she mumbled, crossing her arms.  
  
“Yeah, I’m the problem here,” Jackson rolled his eyes.  
  
“You’re being an ass, and you know it,” Cruz sighed.  
  
“You did look like an idiot, I’m just telling you you’re right,” he said. “You barely formed understandable sentences.”  
  
“At least I didn’t call a stranger dumb,” Cruz said, “like three times, to his face.”  
  
“He was dumb,” Jackson shrugged, “Not my fault he was hitting on me and was an idiot.”  
  
“Yeah well you could have been nicer,” Cruz walked towards the office in the back, “I’m hiring you now. You working here will give them an excuse to come here.”  
  
“You’re forcing me to work for you because the dumbass next door wants to flirt with me? Cruel and unusual punishment.”  
  
Cruz laughed softly, “I’m forcing you to work for me because I need the help and if I’m lucky then Natalie will visit more.”  
  
Jackson sighed, “The things I do for you, Ramirez.”  
  
“So you’ll do it?” She asked excitedly.  
  
“I mean I basically already live here,” Jackson grumbled.  
  
“Nice! Thank you!” Cruz cheered, punching the air.  
  
Jackson rolled his eyes, “yeah, whatever.”  
  
“You love me,” Cruz teased, beaming, “You’re my friend and you _looooove_ me.”  
  
“I hate you,” Jackson said, “we aren’t friends. You’re my boss.”  
  
“Even better,” Cruz grinned.  
  
“...I hate you,” Jackson repeated. He stretched his back out, “I want a raise.”  
  
“$10 an hour,” Cruz said, “that’s your starting rate… plus commission I guess.”  
  
“I’m quitting,” Jackson said, though he was tying an apron on, “gonna go somewhere my work is appreciated.”  
  
“Go for it,” Cruz rolled her eyes, “I’ll call your next place of employment and tell them you were a shit employee.”  
  
“You _wouldn’t_ ”  
  
“Yes I fucking would.”  
  
“I’d tell Natalie all your secrets then,” Jackson said.  
  
“Like what?” Cruz pouted.  
  
“I don’t know yet, but something.”  
  
Cruz frowned, “What if....you don’t do that? And instead, didn’t embarrass me around her.”  
  
Jackson sighed, dramatically, “Fine, your secrets are safe for now.”  
  
Cruz smiled, “Thank you, you’re so nice.”  
  
Jackson rolled his eyes, “you tell me to be nice about fifteen times a day, I’d hope I was.”  
  
“It’s finally setting in,” she grinned.  
  
“So are we going to fill out paperwork, or did you forge it months ago?”  
  
“Do you want the real answer or the legal one?”  
  
“I don’t know why I’m friends with you,” Jackson sighed.  
  
“Because I’m cool and fun and you love me?” Cruz offered.  
  
“... sure. Let’s go with that.”  
  
Cruz pouted, “Do you have a different answer?”  
  
“No, of course not,” Jackson said, “I love you very much, Ci”  
  
“I love you too even though you’re an ass,” she beamed, “Also we do have to fill out the paperwork.”  
  
Jackson nodded, “Then let’s get that done so I can start getting paid for the shit I do.”  
  
“Like what? Calling everyone an idiot?” Cruz asked, bringing him a stack of papers, “Or telling me you hate me?”  
  
“My services are in high demand, miss Ramirez.”  
  
“No they aren’t.”  
  
“They so are, you’re lucky I make time for you.”  
  
Cruz snorted, “By who? Danny from next door?”  
  
“... among others,” Jackson said.  
  
“You seemed so annoyed, but I _know_ you enjoyed the attention,” Cruz teased.  
  
“Why would I enjoy anything about him?” Jackson blushed slightly.  
  
“I dunno,” Cruz shrugged, “you mentioned that maybe Natalie likes idiots, and he said it was part of his charm,”  
  
“Natalie and I aren’t the same.”  
  
“I’m just saying,” Cruz grinned, “maybe you’re projecting a little.”  
  
Jackson rolled his eyes, taking the paperwork from Cruz and ignoring her. “Give me like ten minutes and I’ll have this done,” he mumbled.  
  
Cruz nodded, “You figure that out,” she said.  
  
“I will.”  
  
“Maybe figure your feelings out too,” she said, walking out of the office.  
  
“Shut the fuck up, I’ll quit,” Jackson yelled after her.


	6. Chapter 6

“Alright so I know you know everything but…” Cruz looked at Jackson, “you’ve never actually used the register.”  
  
“Because I’ve never worked here?” Jackson raised an eyebrow, “Yeah, I know.”  
  
“Yeah, so I need to teach you how to.” Cruz finished.  
  
“Awesome, teach me how, then.”  
  
Cruz stood behind the counter and gestured for Jackson to stand next to her, “It literally does all the work for you. The codes are written here,” she gestured to a laminated sheet of paper, “you punch them in and it tells you the total, and then… you’ve worked retail before, yeah?”  
  
“No,” Jackson stated, “And you know that.”  
  
Cruz rolled her eyes, “Almost no one uses cash, and if someone tries to pay with a check I’ll do it.” She gestured to the chip reader, “The machine does all the work with cards.”  
  
“Okay,” he nodded, “So….basically just hit number buttons.”  
  
“Yup,” Cruz nodded, “it isn’t rocket science.”  
  
“Okay,” Jackson hummed, “Yeah, okay, seems easy enough.”  
  
“You can do it, I believe in you,” Cruz teased.  
  
“Shut up.”  
  
“I’m your boss, don’t tell me to shut up.”  
  
Jackson grinned, “Fuck you.”  
  
The bell above the door ringing caused his smile to drop. He was ready to put on a fake smile and act polite, but at the door were the brunet and redhead from next door.  
  
Jackson could hear Cruz’s grin as she greeted the pair, “You two done for the day?”  
  
“Yup!” Natalie nodded, “Just wrapped up everything. I was thinking my apartment needed some more....life.”  
  
Jackson’s eyes followed Danny, who was already by the living plants, “Holy shit, Nat,” the man said, “the air in my apartment is going to be so fucking crisp.”  
  
The girl looked over, “Danny what the fuck does that even mean?”  
  
“I’m going to be fucking O’Hare,” Danny grinned, “Fuck it, let’s get the Onceler in here.”  
  
“Is...Is he talking about the Lorax?” Cruz asked.  
  
Jackson groaned, “I’m going to make a fucking sign. It’s going to be the lorax and he’s going to be telling you to leave.”  
  
“Awh, you’re the Lorax? Who do you speak for?” Danny grinned back at Jackson.  
  
“I speak for the plants, they say your vibe is terrible.” Jackson said, “I can’t in good conscience let you take one.”  
  
“Can I get some?” Natalie asked, “I like this one with all the little leaves.”  
  
Cruz giggled, “The fern?”  
  
“What you need,” Danny started, “is one of those ones that are good for sleeping. You know, they release more oxygen at night or some shit?”  
  
“Areca Palms and Aloe Veras,” Cruz nodded, “I think we have some Pothos in the back room though, they work too.”  
  
“Or just get lavender like a normal person would,” Jackson rolled his eyes, “Ci is over complicating it.”  
  
“Lavender?” Danny repeated.  
  
“Yeah, it’s got calming properties. Have you ever noticed that almost every stress reliever has a shit ton of lavender in it?”  
  
“No…” Danny shook his head, “Never really thought about it.”  
  
Jackson rolled his eyes, “Of course you haven’t”  
  
“Can I see the um...the one in your back room?” Natalie asked.  
  
“Sure!” Cruz nodded, walking out of sight.  
  
“So, Natalie,” Jackson started, “You gay?”  
  
Natalie looked slightly taken aback, “That was blunt.”  
  
“Yeah, guess so,” Jackson stated, “Are you?”  
  
“She is, and very single,” Danny answered before Natalie got the chance to, “and literally obsessing over your friend.”  
  
“Danny shut the fuck up,” Natalie glared at him.  
  
“Cool, have fun with that,” Jackson nodded, leaning against the counter.  
  
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Danny asked.  
  
Jackson shrugged, “You figure it out.”  
  
Cruz came back with a large leaf filled pot, “It’s called devil’s ivy, I think it’s a beautiful hanging piece, but…” she trailed off, looked between the three, “Oh, uh...sorry, continue.”  
  
“We were just finished,” Jackson said, “tell her about all your favorite plants, Cruz.”  
  
Cruz blushed slightly, turning her attention to Natalie, then Jackson, “I’m sure she doesn’t want to hear about all that, Jack.”  
  
“No, tell me about it,” Natalie blurted out, “I mean… only if you want.”  
  
“Okay!” Cruz nodded, “So pothos are good starter plants, they’re really easily pleased and don’t have a ton of needs. I think they’re from Polynesia, but that’s not really important to their care...Oh! This baby is variegated, so the leaves have a lot of variation in color. It doesn’t produce as much oxygen and energy as a fully green one, since only the green parts function. I didn’t see any other pothos back there, but if you want one that isn’t variegated, I know someone with Hawaiian and Neon and I think Jade available. Neon is bright green, Hawaiian is yellow, Jade is a calmer green.”  
  
“No, I… really like that one,” Natalie smiled softly.  
  
“Oh okay,” Cruz nodded, then frowned, “Oh but they’re poisonous...I don’t know if you have any pets, but if you do I should find something else.”  
  
“I don’t have any pets… although Danny might try to eat it, I don’t know.”  
  
“What the hell does that mean?” Jackson couldn’t help but interrupt.  
  
Natalie shrugged, “I mean, I doubt he will, since he’s hearing that it’s poisonous right now.”  
  
“Is he a toddler? Why would he try to eat a plant?”  
  
“He’s an idiot,” Natalie frowned.  
  
“Anyways, uh,” Cruz interrupted, feeling selfish for wanting Natalie’s attention back, “I think these are really pretty in hanging pots, but they can go basically anywhere. I have them in hanging pots that I can move around, but I know that that’s a lot of effort and most people like their plant to be stationary…”  
  
Natalie smiled, “I think that’s awesome! I’m going to have a hard enough time reaching my ceiling once though…”  
  
“Shoot, yeah,” Cruz pursed her lips, “Then I’d suggest a plain pot, because they grow far and a pretty one would get covered by the leaves. Somewhere off the ground is better too, but I just like how cascading ivy looks.”  
  
Natalie nodded, mentally taking notes, “Yeah I think I have a spot that’ll work.”  
  
Cruz smiled, leaning over the counter to be closer to the other woman, “When watering them, you have to check if the soil has dried before you give it any more. Otherwise the roots will rot.”  
  
Natalie nodded, blushing slightly at the proximity, “Anything else?”  
  
“Um...well since it’s not all green, somewhere with higher levels of light should help it thrive. Eventually it might grow fully green stems and stuff,” Cruz explained, “But any level of light will be fine.”  
v Natalie nodded again, “What about… how do you feel about those UV bulbs?”  
  
“Well there are dedicated plant bulbs, but honestly they’re a total scam,” she sighed, “I think 5.0 and higher UV bulbs would work though. They don’t need a lot of direct light, so it’d keep this baby alive.”  
  
“Awesome,” Natalie pulled out her phone, and spoke while she typed something, “any other recommendations?”  
  
“Not that I can think of,” Cruz hummed, “They’re beginner plants, so it’ll be easy to look out for.”  
  
Natalie nodded, quiet for a few seconds, “...can I grab your number, while we’re talking? For… plant related questions?”  
  
Cruz blinked, staring wide eyed at the other woman. She coughed into her fist, trying and failing to hide her blush, “Y-yeah, of course!”  
  
“Awesome,” Natalie handed Cruz her phone, before realizing she had already typed in the contact name as Cruz <3.  
  
Cruz didn’t seem to notice though, focused on typing her number in correctly before handing it back, “Call me?”  
  
Natalie nodded, “Y-yeah.”  
  
Cruz waited a few seconds before frowning, “My phone isn’t ringing, maybe I entered my number wrong…”  
  
“You’re both idiots,” Jackson stated, glaring at Cruz.  
  
“Oh you meant right now.” Natalie said, “I… yeah that makes sense.”  
  
Cruz tilted her head, laughing softly, “Well yeah, I want to know if I entered my number right…”  
  
Natalie nodded, pressing the call button, “Yeah, that… yeah that makes sense.”  
  
Cruz perked up, her phone ringing from the other room, “I’ll go grab it so I remember to add your contact.” She smiled brightly at Natalie before walking away.  
  
“Very smooth, Natalie,” Jackson rolled his eyes, then hummed, “Danny, you’re being quiet.”  
  
Danny looked over from where he was looking at the succulents, “Did I miss anything?”  
  
“You just...weren’t paying attention to any of that?” he asked, “Dude, that was like twenty minutes at least.”  
  
“In my defense,” Danny said, “these guys were really sad, and apparently you won’t sell one to me.”  
  
“They’re sad?” he repeated.  
  
“Yeah,” Danny nodded, “I don’t know if it’s the watering schedule, or amount of sunlight, or maybe,” the man gasped, “it’s your vibes that are off.”  
  
“It’s probably that Cruz forgot to water them yesterday,” Jackson answered, “And maybe they were sad to be wasting their labor making oxygen for you.”  
  
“I’m pretty sure you’re treating them like hostages,” Danny argued.  
  
“Oh my god, are you really lecturing him on plants, Danny?” Natalie asked.  
  
“Yeah, they’re fuckin bummed, Nat,” Danny nodded, “I want to save them.”  
  
“Why? For your crisp fucking air?” Jackson rolled his eyes, “You’re a fucking idiot.”  
  
“I’m back,” Cruz hummed, returning to Jackson’s side, “Was that going to be everything, Natalie?”  
  
Natalie nodded, “Yeah, but Danny’s going to be really sad if you seriously don’t let him buy a few plants.”  
  
“Die sad,” Jackson stated, which was met with Cruz’s elbow in his ribs.  
  
“Of course he can get a few, what’s he looking at?” Cruz smiled sweetly.  
  
Jackson rolled his eyes, “He’s insulting the way you take care of the succulents,”  
  
“Jackson, that’s been your thing since we were fifteen, it’s not my fault you thought I could handle them.”  
  
“Aren’t succulents supposed to be easy?” Natalie asked.  
  
“That’s propaganda,” Cruz pouted, “I always water them too much and then forget to.”  
  
“So what I’m hearing is succulent people have superiority complexes?” Natalie asked, looking directly at Jackson.  
  
“She’s wrong,” Jackson said, “Cici is just irresponsible.”  
  
Danny looked up, at some point the man had sat down on the floor, “My sister’s accidentally killed several, succulent people are just… magic.”  
  
“And you want me to trust you with them?” Jackson asked.  
  
“Uhh, yeah,” Danny deadpanned, “these hands are magic, have you seen my work?”  
  
“No and I don’t care to,” Jackson answered, “I don’t believe you could take care of any plants.”  
  
“I’ll prove you wrong,” Danny stood, “I’ll take care of the most difficult plant you guys have, and bring weekly updates.”  
  
“Pick between an orchid and an azalea,” Jackson requested.  
  
“He’ll take the orchid!” Natalie interrupted, grinning.  
  
Cruz sighed, punching in the code, “I can’t believe this,” she mumbled to herself.  
  
“What part can’t you believe?” Danny asked.  
  
“This weird… competitive thing you have going on over plants.”  
  
Natalie leaned in, whispering to Cruz, “This is just Danny’s excuse to see Jackson.”  
  
Cruz nodded, glancing at Jackson, “he doesn’t usually entertain bets like these so I’d say it’s mutual.”  
  
“It is not,” Jackson argued.  
  
“Wait are you guys having a conversation without me?” Danny asked, pouting.  
  
“Jackson heard what I whispered?” Natalie asked.  
  
“No, he just knows what I’m accusing him of,” Cruz smiled, “because I'm right.”  
  
Jackson frowned, “No you aren’t!”  
  
“Aren’t what?” Danny frowned, “Where’s my orchid?”  
  
Jackson rolled his eyes, “I’ll go get it.”  
  
“Get him a purple one,” Cruz hummed, “We have more of those in stock.”  
  
“Whatever,” Jackson said, walking towards the back of the store.  
  
“What’d I miss?” Danny pouted from where he sat on the ground.  
  
Natalie rolled her eyes, “Same shit you always miss.”  
  
“...I don’t know what that means,” Danny said, “I missed it.”  
  
“It doesn’t matter,” Natalie said, “you’d just argue with me over it.”  
  
Danny frowned, but before he could answer, Cruz hummed, “So, you’re into Jackson?”  
  
Danny squinted at Cruz, “Is that a question? Orrrr… an observation?”  
  
Cruz shrugged, not answering verbally.  
  
“I don’t know what to answer with,” Danny stated, “I’m...confused.”  
  
“That’s kind of your natural state,” Natalie said, “Yeah. He seems to be at least.”  
  
“Good luck with that,” Cruz snickered, “Just the orchid and pothos?”  
  
Danny nodded, standing, “I’m not sure if your ‘good luck’ was sarcastic or not.”  
  
Cruz smiled, shaking her head, “It isn’t at all, I really meant it! You’ve got your work cut out for you.”  
  
Danny sighed, “Do I at least have a chance? You know, before I waste my time trying.”  
  
“Hm,” Cruz pursed her lips, “I think you have a chance. I’m not him though.”  
  
Danny was about to say something when Jackson returned, “Here’s your fucking orchid, I got the healthiest one so you’d have half a chance.”  
  
“Is that really?” Cruz frowned, “Jackson, you ordered them, you need to make sure they survive.”  
  
“I would like to remind you,” Jackson started, “that you only hired me this morning.”  
  
“What?” Natalie asked, “I thought...I mean, you seem to know what you’re doing.”  
  
Cruz rolled her eyes, “He spends every day here. Today is just when it was made official.”  
  
“Still wasn’t my job today,” Jackson shrugged, “and you ordered them, I just suggested them.”  
  
“Whatever,” Cruz started to ring them up, “Is that all for you two today?”  
  
Danny nodded, “Yeah that’s all.”  
  
“Cool that’s $34.63,” Cruz recited.  
  
Danny and Natalie looked at each other, before saying “I’ll pay,” at the same time.  
  
“Wait, Ci, why’d you assume they’re paying together, dipshit?” Jackson asked, “What the fuck are you on?”  
  
“I just assumed...I don’t know, we always make a single purchase,” she shrugged defensively.  
  
Jackson rolled his eyes, “You should’ve asked first, you know better than that.”  
  
“...Would you like to pay together?” Cruz asked the pair.  
  
Danny nodded, sticking his arm out to bar Natalie from the card reader, “Yeah, I’ll pay.”  
  
“Okay,” Cruz smiled, “Is it safe for me to assume you know how to use the card thingy?”  
  
“I do know how to use it, yes.”  
  
“That’s a surprise.” Jackson rolled his eyes.  
  
“Jackson, be nice.” Cruz elbowed him.  
  
“Fuck off,” he said, taking his phone out and scrolling through twitter.  
  
“You have a pretty shit attitude, huh?” Natalie asked Jackson.  
  
Jackson stared at Natalie for a moment, “... Sorry I’m not all sunshine and rainbows.”  
  
“Don’t need to be all peppy to not act like a dick,” she pointed out, “Danny is a total idiot though.”  
  
“I am not,” Danny argued, “don’t be a bitch.”  
  
“I’m not a bitch,” Natalie answered, “Dumb ass.”  
  
Danny rolled his eyes, “You totally are, but it’s okay because I don’t mind.”  
  
“I don’t think you’re a bitch,” Cruz smiled, “I think you’re really nice.”  
  
“You and I… are talking about the same Natalie, right?” Danny asked, “like 5’0, obviously fake red hair, covered in tattoos, that one, right?”  
  
“Natalie Certain,” Cruz nodded, “She’s sweet.”  
  
Danny turned to face Natalie, grinning, “Who are you, and what have you done to my best friend?”  
  
“What?” Natalie frowned, blushing, “I’m allowed to be sweet.”  
  
“You are, but you usually choose not to be,” Danny said.  
  
“Maybe you just are too dumb to know when I’m nice,” she countered.  
  
Danny sighed, “Yeah, totally. It totally isn’t because you have-”  
  
Natalie cut Danny off, “Shut the fuck up, Swervez. I’ll ruin your life.”  
  
“Do it.” Jackson encouraged, “And say her secret, Danny, don’t be a coward.”  
  
Danny looked between Jackson and Natalie, weighing his options, “Nah, I want to live to see tomorrow.”  
  
“Bitch.” Jackson stated.  
  
Danny frowned, “Who are you calling a bitch?”  
  
Jackson pursed his lips before answering, “All three of you.”  
  
Cruz rolled her eyes, “Shut up, Jackson.”  
  
“You first, Ci.”  
  
Natalie sighed, “Danny and I should… get going.”  
  
“Oh, yeah,” the latina nodded, awkwardly wringing her hands, “Text me if you need anything?”  
  
Natalie smiled, “Of course!”


	7. Chapter 7

“So...Danny, am I right?” Cruz grinned as soon as the duo had left.  
  
“What about him?” Jackson asked.  
  
“You know…” she giggled.  
  
“I don’t,” Jackson deadpanned, “he’s annoying.”  
  
“ _Just_ annoying?” Cruz poked his side, “nothing more?”  
  
Jackson rolled his eyes, “Just annoying.”  
  
“But you totally want to smash?”  
  
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Jackson said, walking towards the succulents, “are you sure they’re getting enough sun?”  
  
“Why? Think they’re _sad_?” Cruz teased.  
  
Jackson frowned, “No, I just want to make sure they’re in… optimal condition.”  
  
“Because they’re sad,” Cruz nodded.  
  
“Shut up,” Jackson sighed, “they didn’t look great this morning, and now I’m worried.”  
  
“You’re worried because a hot guy said they looked sad,” Cruz grinned.  
  
“He’s not hot, he’s an idiot.”  
  
“He can be both.”  
  
“No.”  
  
Cruz laughed, “You’re totally into him!”  
  
“I am _not_!” Jackson groaned, “I think he’s annoying and dumb.”  
  
“And hot as hell and you totally want to kiss him!”  
  
“Only because then he might shut up!” Jackson argued, before backtracking, “I do _not_!”  
  
“Not even to shut him up?” she giggled, “You totally want to suck face with him!”  
  
“Eww, why did you say it like that?”  
  
“You want to make out with the hot dumb tattoo boy,” Cruz smiled, “Is that said better?”  
  
“I do not!” Jackson protested.  
  
“You sure about that?” she asked, “Cause definitely seems like you want to do the tongue tango with him.”  
  
Jackson huffed, “Even if that was true, it wouldn’t change the fact that he’s insufferable.”  
  
“Maybe if you kiss him enough he’ll forget how to speak.”  
  
“...what?”  
  
“Kiss him until he’s breathless.”  
  
“I’m not going to do that,” Jackson rolled his eyes.  
  
“But you’re gonna dream about it,” Cruz joked.  
  
“Don’t you have a girl to pine after?” Jackson rolled his eyes, “I figured you’d be sitting next to the phone hoping she calls all night.”  
  
Cruz rolled her eyes, “This isn’t about me, it’s about how you think the guy next door is hot.”  
  
“Why would it matter if I did?” Jackson asked, “He’s a dumbass, and I don’t like him.”  
  
“But you totally do like him.”  
  
“Shut up,” Jackson sighed, “I don’t like him, he’s annoying as shit.”  
  
“You so do, you think it’s fun.”  
  
“I do not!”  
  
“You have a thing for idiots. Me as your bestest friend, him as your crush,” Cruz listed, “What’s next?”  
  
“Bestest isn’t a word,” Jackson rolled his eyes, “and nothing’s next.”  
  
“You’re such a buzzkill, I hope your dumb future husband gets you to chill.”  
  
“I’m plenty chill,” Jackson argued, “I don’t need him to ‘get me to chill’”  
  
Cruz smirked, “But he is your future husband?”  
  
“I didn’t say that!”  
  
“I did and you didn’t deny it!”  
  
“Shut up, Cruz,” Jackson whined, “I’ve been arguing it for the last ten minutes.”  
  
“I didn’t even say his name and you knew I meant,” she cleared her throat and pretended to swoon, “ _Danny_.”  
  
“I don’t act like that.”  
  
Cruz laughed, “Not yet, but I give it a week.”  
  
“I’ve _never_ acted like that, and I’m not going to start now,” Jackson crossed his arms.  
  
“Yeah but now a dumb pretty boy is head over heels for you,” she smiled, “They’re new circumstances.”  
  
“He’s not head over heels for me,” Jackson groaned, “you’re projecting because you’re in love with his friend.”  
  
“I’m not in love with Natalie,” Cruz scoffed, “I just...appreciate her.”  
  
“Because you’re in love with her,” Jackson grinned, “You’re already planning your future with Natalie and that’s why you’re accusing me of this nonexistent crush. To distract yourself from how hopeless you are.”  
  
“I can be hopeless and recognize that you are too.”  
  
“Well I’m not.”  
  
“Jackson, just admit it,” Cruz rolled her eyes, “so I can help you not be hopeless.”  
  
“I’m not hopeless,” Jackson argued, “You’re just a fucking idiot!”  
  
“No I’m not,” Cruz grinned, “you’re just oblivious to your own feelings.”  
  
“Feeling of annoyance?”  
  
“Romantic feelings, obviously.”  
  
Jackson frowned, “I have none.”  
  
“Proving my point,” Cruz laughed, “oblivious.”  
  
“I’m not oblivious if you’re just being a dumb fucking bitch.”  
  
“You’d entertain this if I was wrong,” Cruz pointed out, “like you did junior year, instead you’re getting _defensive_.”  
  
“I’m not defensive!” Jackson argued.  
  
“Yes you are.”  
  
Jackson crossed his arms and shook his head.  
  
“Jackson, you like him,” Cruz rolled her eyes, “somehow you don’t know it, but I do, and you were kind of being a dick so you could avoid thinking about it.”  
  
“I’m always like this.” He grumbled.  
  
“With me, yeah. With strangers? Not usually.”  
  
Jackson shrugged, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”  
  
“Of course you don’t”  
  
“Shut up.”  
  
Cruz sighed, “Fine, I won’t help you with your love life then.”  
  
Jackson shoved her, “There’s nothing to help with, fuck face.”


	8. Chapter 8

Natalie sighed, adjusting her grip on the pot in her arms, “Jackson is totally gonna tell her.”  
  
“What?” Danny asked, looking up from the flower in his hands.  
  
“Jackson’s gonna tell Cruz that I like her,” Natalie whined.  
  
“She doesn’t need him to tell her to notice,” Danny teased.  
  
Natalie frowned, staring holes through the leaves of the ivy, not knowing what to answer with. She sighed, letting her shoulders droop, “You’re right.”  
  
“So just tell her,” Danny shrugged, “what’s the worst that’d happen?”  
  
“She’s straight and laughs at me and I hate myself forever for being super creepy and predatory and I have to quit my job because seeing her every day would literally kill me?” Natalie offered half heartedly.  
  
“You wouldn’t see her every day,” Danny started, “so you don’t have an excuse to quit yet, and it’s not predatory or creepy to have a _crush_ if you aren’t creepy about it.”  
  
She frowned, keeping her eyes on the plant, “Except I’ll notice her more and it’ll make me shrivel up and die.” Natalie stopped in front of her car, turning to Danny, “I’m already being creepy about it. I mean, showing up to her job just to listen to her talk? Creepy.”  
  
Danny rolled his eyes, “Do you want me to ask if she’s into girls?”  
  
“No! That’s worse!” She groaned, shifting the weight of the plant to her left arm so she can open the passenger’s side door, “By like….a thousand percent!”  
  
“So then _talk to her_ , Nat.”  
  
“What about you?”  
  
“What about me?” Danny raised an eyebrow.  
  
“Jackson? What are you gonna do?” Natalie frowned, setting the plant in the car.  
  
“Nothing?” Danny frowned, “I’m used to the pining after someone emotionally unavailable though.”  
  
Natalie gently punched his shoulder, grumbling, “You deserve to be happy, you know.”  
  
“It’s not going to happen, Nat. You missed how terrible I made myself look.”  
  
“I’m sure it wasn’t that bad.”  
  
“It was, though.” Danny whined.  
  
“What’d you say?” Natalie asked.  
  
Danny looked at the ground, “I looked at him, and I _started_ with ‘You have fantastic skin, I’d love to… tattoo you sometime.’”  
  
Natalie snorted, then covered her mouth, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to laugh. Just...you’d love to _tattoo him sometime?_ ”  
  
“I short circuited!” Danny defended, “I didn’t know what I had said until he asked if I knew how dumb I was!”  
  
“Maybe he’s into that?”  
  
“I told him it was a part of my charm,” Danny continued, “and he definitely didn’t look like he agreed.”  
  
“...Maybe he’s just one of those cold outside warm inside people?”  
  
Danny sighed, “Do you really think that might be true?”  
  
Natalie nodded, “Cruz seemed to think you have a chance!”  
  
“I don’t know, he called me stupid at like… record levels for one day.”  
  
“Some people just talk like that!” Natalie insisted, “Come on, don’t give up on the pretty boy!”  
  
Danny rolled his eyes, “Will you at least text Cruz?”  
  
“...Will you write something for me to send?”  
  
“Do you actually need my help?”  
  
Natalie nodded, mumbling, “You know I don’t know how to talk to girls.”  
  
“You did just fine today,” Danny consoled Natalie, “She seemed to like talking to you.”  
  
Natalie shrugged, closing the car door and leaning against it, “Maybe she felt obligated to. Paying customer and all…”  
  
“She came to visit you in your studio,” Danny countered, “she could have left it with Chick just as easily.”  
  
The woman blinked, not having a come back. She glanced at the florists before asking, “Do you want a ride home? I know you took the bus here cause you totalled your car last month.”  
  
Danny nodded, “... if you don’t mind, that’d be great.”  
  
Natalie nodded and walked to the driver’s seat, “You’re in the back though. I already set down the ivy.”  
  
Danny smiled, getting into the back seat, “You’re the best”  
  
“I know I am,” she smiled into the rearview mirror, “So, do you have any clue how to care for that flower?”  
  
Danny shrugged, “I’ve had other flowers before, I was just gonna research orchids when I got home.”  
  
“Think you’ll keep this one alive? It’s Jackson’s favorite flower.”  
  
“He didn’t say that,” Danny said, “I asked for a difficult one.”  
  
“Cruz told me this morning,” she hummed, “That’s why I chose it for you.”  
  
“Natalie,” Danny whined, “what happens if I kill her?”  
  
“Her?” Natalie repeated.  
  
“The plant,” Danny clarified.  
  
Natalie laughed, “It’s a she?”  
  
“Yes, she is,” Danny rolled his eyes, “I’ll choose a name for her after I do some more research.”  
  
“Okay, well, if _she_ dies,” Natalie started, “Jackson will win the bet.”  
  
“And he’ll hate me for killing his favorite flower.”  
  
“So….don’t let her die. Or let her die and replace her. Or lie,” Natalie listed off solutions, “How’s he gonna check, right?”  
  
“I can’t do that!” Danny argued, “I’ll have to take the best care of her that any plant has ever had.”  
  
Natalie nodded, “Okay but….why?”  
  
“Because,” Danny said, “I need her to survive.”  
  
“...why? I already gave you solutions to her death.”  
  
“I don’t like your solutions.”  
  
Natalie shrugged, “That’s not my problem.”  
  
“It’ll be your problem if she dies and Jackson bans us from the store.” Danny said, leaning back against the seat.  
  
“Don’t joke like that!” Natalie shouted, slowing at a red light.  
  
“What if he does though?” Danny whined, “What if he hates me forever?”  
  
“That’s a dumb as shit reason to hate someone,” Natalie argued, “He knows it’s a hard plant to take care of.”  
  
“But I said I could take care of it!”  
  
“Yeah and he thinks you’re dumb as rocks, so he doesn’t expect you to succeed.”  
  
Danny groaned, “He’s looking for reasons to hate me.”  
  
Natalie sighed,“Then who cares?”  
  
“I do!”  
  
Natalie nodded, “So then you better hope google is handy.”  
  
Danny nodded, “Yeah I guess.”  
  
“I have faith in you,” she stated, “You’re pretty good at...not killing things.”  
  
“Oh my god, I told him my hands are magic, and he said he didn’t care about my art,” Danny let his head drop forward, “why am I such a dumbass?”  
  
Natalie smiled reassuringly into the mirror, “I think your hands are pretty magic, and I have the art permanently on my skin to prove it.”  
  
Danny sighed, “I say the stupidest things.”  
  
“I think it’s charming,” Natalie grinned.  
  
“He won’t though,”  
  
“He might, though!” Natalie countered, “I think he likes you.”  
  
“I can’t even talk around him,”Danny whined.  
  
Natalie grinned, “It’s cute!”  
  
“You already like me though.”  
  
“And I’m pretty sure he does too.”  
  
“You don’t have any way of knowing that,” Danny countered, “technically, I’ve known him longer than you, and I’m pretty sure he doesn’t”  
  
“I’ve known of him longest,” she argued, “And Cruz likes you! That’s like...the best sign there is.”  
  
“I guess…” Danny sighed.  
  
“So....are you gonna ask him out?”  
  
“I’ll think about it, after I can have one conversation without looking like an idiot.”  
  
Natalie frowned, “I don’t think he hates how dumb you act sometimes.”  
  
“He might though,” Danny rolled his eyes.  
  
“So what if he does? He’ll get used to it.”  
  
“How long did it take for you to get used to it?” Danny asked, “Like an entire semester?”  
  
“Like a week, but I liked pissing you off,” Natalie corrected.  
  
Danny glared at Natalie, “Why am I friends with you again?”  
  
Natalie smiled, parking in front of his apartment complex, “No fuckin clue, man.”  
  
Danny grinned, getting out of the car, “I guess we’ll never know.”  
  
“Have fun with your plant themed all nighter,” she laughed, “Try not to end up exhausted tomorrow, dude, you have a full day of clients.”  
  
“I’ll handle it,” Danny rolled his eyes, “I’m allowed to have stimulants again.”  
  
“Oh? Since when?” She asked, leaning over to see him better.  
  
“Uhh…” Danny paused, “Wednesday was three weeks since my concussion so… four days now?”  
  
Natalie nodded, “How’s your head by the way? I forgot about the concussion.”  
  
“Yeah, I’m not sure why I only took two weeks off, but you know,” Danny shrugged, “Ibuprofen has replaced you as my best friend.”  
  
“That fucking bitch,” Natalie snickered, “Seriously, dude, get inside before you freeze.”  
  
“Bye Natalie,” Danny rolled his eyes, walking away from the car.  
  
“Sleep good!” She shouted, pulling out into the street.  
  
“You too! Text Cruz!” Danny yelled.  
  
Natalie groaned as she drove home, already trying to think of what to text the girl. Something about taking care of the plant would make her seem totally incompetent or like she wasn’t paying attention. Something not about the plant could be overstepping her boundaries. She glared at the ivy in the seat beside her, “This is all your fault.” The plant didn’t answer, but she expected that. After returning her eyes to the road, she decided that maybe a picture of where the plant will be would be good, not too personal, not too idiotic.


	9. Chapter 9

Cruz couldn't help but glance at her phone every few minutes once she got home. She sighed as she checked it the third time. Natalie didn't have to text her. Why would she text her at all? The woman set her phone down, only for it to vibrate almost immediately.

A photo of the ivy on a marble counter, in the same red plastic pot it was bought in. She could see a window nearby with white curtains, and various trinkets scattered around. It took all of Cruz’s self control not to zoom in and see what Natalie’s apartment looks like.

‘This good?’ came a text a few seconds later, followed by ‘Its Natalie btw’ and Cruz couldn’t help but laugh. Which grew louder when she received ‘from Chick’s tattoo parlor, i bought this today?’

‘Hey Nat!!! That looks great’ she answered quickly, hoping to calm Natalie down, ‘I know who you are! We just met today!’

The blonde set her phone face down, unsure of how to continue the conversation and hoping that not looking at her screen would prevent her creeping on the other woman’s privacy.

It didn't take long for Natalie to reply 'Just making sure, I don't know how many hopeless girls you give your number to ;)'

‘I don’t think you’re hopeless!’ she sent back, ‘Jackson is hopeless(ly in love with your friend)(but dont tell danny that)’

There was a pause before Natalie responded 'so they're both hopeless? Who's gonna tell them it's mutual?'

‘Not it!’ she answered, followed by ‘they should have 2 figure it out on their own :)’

Natalie replied almost immediately, ‘a little nudge wouldn't hurt, would it?’

Cruz laughed before answering with ‘would a nudge really be enough???’

‘Shit, you right’

‘We gotta leave them w/ their feeeelings ;)’ Cruz texted, then took a deep breath and added ‘wanna hang out some time?’

Two minutes passed before Natalie responded. Cruz was slightly panicked when her screen lit up again. ‘I’d love to! You free this weekend?’

‘I can leave Jackson in charge of the store so yeah’ she smiled to herself, but didn't let the relief set in yet.

Natalie replied quickly this time ‘Dope! I’ll stop in on my break to talk schedules? Its easier in person lol’

Cruz sat on her couch and hugged a pillow to her chest while she wrote, ‘cool! C u tomorrow then’ then, before she forgot, texted Jackson ‘ur gonna b in charge of the shop for a bit this weekend fyi’

Jackson’s reply was quick ‘I’m quitting right after.’

‘Why? :(((‘

‘Because I didn’t agree to this’

‘Its so i can hang out with natalie tho :(‘

‘You dumbass lesbian’ Jackson texted, ‘have fun’

Cruz smiled to herself ‘so u wont quit?’

‘I didnt say that’

‘:(‘ was all she sent back. Until Cruz saw an opportunity to bug him more, ‘so when r u gonna ask Danny 2 hang?’

‘Never. I don’t like him, Cruz’

‘;) ok’

‘Shut the fuck up’

‘;)’ Cruz smirked to herself when she pressed send.

‘Cruz I will block your number’

‘:(‘ she sent as her only response.

‘Why are you so insistent that I have a crush on him?’ Jackson replied.

‘I didnt say that rn ur jumping to conclusions’

‘I hate you sometimes’

The blonde wondered how to respond for a few minutes before she settled on ‘:’(‘

There was silence from jackson before he said, ‘I’ll see you tomorrow Cruz’

‘With your 2 weeks?’ she answered, ‘should i bring apology coffee?’

‘Yes to the coffee, maybe to the 2 weeks’

‘Cool txt ur order tmrw morning :)’


	10. Chapter 10

Natalie was practically glowing as she walked into work the next morning, and Tim was quick to point it out, “Yo, Certain, did you finally get laid?”

Natalie rolled her eyes, “Wow, Tim you’re here before noon. Is this the second coming of christ?”

“I had a reservation, fuck face, they flew in from Europe,” Tim shook his head, “Seriously, did you finally get some? Danny and I have a bet going and I want to know if I win.”

“You and Danny have a bet?” Natalie repeated, “That fucker.”

“I can already tell you weren’t laid because you’re being a bitch again,” Tim sighed, “So, what had you all dumb and giddy?”

“None of your business, dickwad,” Natalie set down her bag, “have you heard of boundaries? Or appropriate workplace behavior?”

Tim snorted, “What? Gonna report me to HR?”

Natalie looked at Tim, “Yeah I don’t know why I said that.”

“So, if you didn’t get down and dirty, you got a date or somethin?” Tim pried further, “Or did you see Danny trip down a staircase?”

“It’s… sort of a date?” Natalie shrugged, “I don’t know yet.”

“Shit, I was kidding,” he blinked, “Who are they?”

“She works nearby,” Natalie shrugged, the last thing she needed was _Tim_ bugging Cruz too, “we met earlier this week.”

Tim nodded, “The flower girl.”

“Yeah.”

“She’s next door, ain’t she?” he asked.

Natalie nodded, “Yeah, Danny and I went over there yesterday.”

Tim smiled, “Know if it’s open already?”

Natalie shrugged, “It was yesterday, why?”

“Gonna take an early smoke break,” he straightened out, grinning, “Just curious though.”

Natalie watched Tim leave before realizing where he was going, “I swear to god,” she said to herself, “‘work someplace local!’ They said. ‘You already have friends there!’ They said.” 

Danny walked in a moment later, “Why does Tim look like he just won the lottery? And why are _you_ doing that thing where you pretend to regret working here?”

“I’m stopping by next door to ask the pretty blonde out,” Tim answered, stretching nonchalantly as he continued, “Want me to pick you up a plant or something? You seem like you’d eat those.”

“Hang on, I’ll come with,” Danny dropped his backpack on the counter.

“Why would you come?” Tim asked, raising an eyebrow, “You also into the blonde?”

“Nah, Cruz isn’t my type,” Danny shrugged, “Just wanna...see what happens I guess.”

“Sure, Danny,” Natalie rolled her eyes.

“Cruz isn’t your type, but _someone_ there is?” Tim prompted.

“I didn’t say that,” Danny stated.

“But I will,” Natalie hummed, pointedly avoiding looking at either of them to keep them from seeing her worry about Tim succeeding, “He likes her tall mean friend that calls him an idiot.”

Tim glanced at Natalie, then back at Danny, “That so, Danny boy? Because now I _definitely_ think this place needs some flowers.”

“Fuck off Tim,” Danny grumbled, “This is about _Natalie’s_ crush.”

“But you do have one,” Tim rolled his eyes, “God, knowing you two they’re probably the most mediocre people on the planet. Fucking stock photo models.”

Danny shrugged, “Have fun being surprised.”

Tim laughed, “I’ll be back… whenever.”

“Kill me now,” Natalie grumbled.

“Wait, where are they going?” Chick asked, entering the lobby, “When’d Danny show up?”

“To ruin my life,” Natalie sighed before adding, “about two minutes ago.”

“Oh...you gonna be okay?” he asked.

Natalie nodded, “It’s fine, Tim’s just going to add to the list of dumb friends Cruz knows I have.”

“Flower girl, right? Why’s he bothering her?”

“Because he knows I like her.”

“Oh.” Chick nodded, then asked, “So he’s gonna go ask her out to fuck with you?”

Natalie buried her face in her hands, “I guess.”

“...Should I have some kind of intervention or group therapy ready for when they come back?”

Natalie rolled her eyes, “Tim has a client like,” she glanced at the whiteboard calendar, “... now. I should go get him.”

“So...group therapy after that?”

“No,” Natalie stood, “I’m gonna go yell at Tim for making his client wait.”

Chick nodded, “And for asking Miss Ramirez out?”

“He can do what he wants,” Natalie grumbled, “but he’s supposed to be working.”

Chick smiled, “It’s okay, I think Cruz is...not interested in his type. I remember her aunt complaining about it.”

“This isn’t the 1960’s, Chick,” Natalie rolled her eyes, “are you saying she’s gay or she has taste? Because Tim is _no one’s_ type.”

“Gay. Gay as hell,” Chick deadpanned.

“Thank you,” Natalie grinned, before walking out, “I’m going to go save my dignity- I mean, Tim’s client, now.”

“Have fun with that,” he rolled his eyes, returning to his office.

The flower shop was louder than Natalie expected when she walked in. Not crowded, but Tim was always loud, and there were a few other people in there.

“Oh, uh,” Cruz was clearly flustered, and Natalie was sure she missed Tim asking, “Sorry, I’m not...really interested in a relationship right now?” Natalie’s heart dropped, staring at the pair and immediately feeling guilty for thinking she had a chance.

“Tim,” Natalie said, louder than she meant, “stop flirting with the girl next door and go. Your client is _here_ , asshole.”

Tim turned, nodding, “Sure, I’ll head back in a second.” He returned his attention to Cruz and said something Natalie couldn’t hear. The worst part though is that Cruz _laughed_ , which shouldn’t matter except that the shorter girl immediately felt more smitten.

“Tim,” Natalie repeated, “ _today_ , maybe.”

Tim turned to roll his eyes at Natalie, “Get off my ass, Natalie. You’re not my mom… or my boss.”

“Chick is the one that sent me over,” Natalie lied.

“Bullshit,” Tim argued, before turning towards where Jackson was next to Cruz “I’ll stop by later, gotta say hello to my new neighbors.”

“They’ve been here longer than you, let’s go,” Natalie sighed. 

“Yeah, yeah, buzzkill,” he rolled his eyes, then took Cruz’s hand, “It was a pleasure to meet you, beautiful, if you’re ever interested, you know where to find me.”

Cruz smiled and nodded, “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Natalie grabbed Tim as he walked past, “You’re awful, I hate you so much right now.”

Tim stuck his tongue out, “You always hate me, Nat. Let me go.”

Natalie let go of his arm, before walking over to Cruz, “I’m.. so sorry about… him.”

“It’s fine,” Cruz chuckled, “I’m way used to it.”

Natalie ran a hand through her hair, annoyance clear on her face, “Yeah but Tim’s like… a specific breed of annoying.”

“Is that just the type of person you hang out with?” Jackson asked, “annoying?”

Natalie frowned, “I guess sometimes. What was he saying to you guys anyways?”

Cruz sighed, “Just made small talk and asked me on a date.”

Natalie nodded, “Danny said something about preventing that, did he… is he still here?”

“I saw him a second ago,” Cruz hummed, “A girl pulled him outside I think.”

Natalie nodded, “Did you see what she looked like? I’m trying to decide if I need to worry or not.”

“Taller than him, dark hair in a ponytail, um….” Cruz listed off details.

Jackson rolled his eyes, “No tattoos, wearing a black dress with daisies on it, a mole on her left cheek.”

“Do you describe people for detectives in your free time?” Cruz asked, joking.

Natalie laughed slightly, “It’s either Stella or Cass, so I don’t need to panic.”

“Stella or Cass?” Jackson repeated, ignoring Cruz.

“His sisters,” Natalie explained, “It was probably Stella, Cassidy only wears a dress when she has a date.”

“I didn’t know he had sisters,” Cruz hummed, “I think her name starts with an S, she comes in every few weeks.”

Natalie nodded, “Danny’s got major middle child syndrome.”

“Is that why he’s so fucking annoying?” Jackson asked.

Natalie hummed, “Yeah that’s probably part of it.”

“He seemed kinda confused when he came in here,” Cruz said, “Is he alright?”

“Oh it’s a bad day,” Natalie said to herself more than the pair in front of her, “I told him not to stay up too late.”

“He needs a bedtime? Is he twelve?” Jackson rolled his eyes, then glanced away from the two girls and sighed, “I gotta go deal with that customer.” Then walked to the counter.

“ _Is_ he okay?” Cruz repeated the question, once Jackson had left.

“Oh, yeah,” Natalie nodded, then frowned, “Well mostly. Don’t worry about it, he’s just recovering from a head injury.”

“Oh…” Cruz looked upset, “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be! He’s doing way better,” Natalie rushed to console her, “Danny doesn’t let anyone worry about him besides his mom anyways.”

Cruz nodded, “Jackson’s the same way, but he won’t admit it.”

Natalie chuckled, “I never would’ve thought Jackson’s a momma’s boy.”

Cruz looked taken aback before laughing slightly, “Technically, he’s not, his dads are gay.” She explained.

“Oh.” Natalie nodded, “I’d say it must be genetic, but I don’t know if Jackson shares any blood with them.”

Cruz shook her head, “He doesn’t, neither of his siblings do either.”

“He has siblings? He acts like an only child.”

“Well he was for a long time,” Cruz shrugged.

“What about you?” Natalie asked.

Cruz smiled, “I have a few brothers, and I was living with my aunt for a while, who also had like three boys.”

Natalie nodded, withholding her curiosity about why she lived with her aunt, “So...six pseudo-brothers? No sisters or anything?”

“No sisters,” Cruz shook her head, “what about you?”

“One sister,” Natalie sighed, “We haven’t talked in a while though, so I like to say I’m an only child.”

“Oh,” Cruz looked like she wanted to ask why, but instead nodded.

Natalie nodded, awkwardly shifting her weight, “I should be getting back to work...See you at lunch though? To talk about this weekend? Unless you changed your mind, that’s okay too.”

“No!” Cruz smiled awkwardly, “I mean, no I didn’t change my mind, I’ll see you in a few hours?”

“Yeah,” she smiled, “See you then.” Natalie left the store.

“You’re useless.” Jackson said, now behind Cruz.

“Yeah, _I’m_ useless?” Cruz asked, “you’re the one who won’t even admit to himself that he has a crush.”

Jackson rolled his eyes, “I don’t have a fucking crush on anyone.”

“Right,” Cruz rolled his eyes, “you just think he’s hot and daydream about kissing him, oh and stare at him anytime anyone else talks to him.”

“I don’t do any of that.”

“Yes you do.”

“Are you in my head?” Jackson countered.

“Well you definitely do the last one,” Cruz grinned.

The man shook his head, “If I do it’s just cause I’m trying to figure out how he’s so fucking dumb.”

“Mhm,” Cruz hummed, “with a lovesick face?”

“I don’t _get_ ‘lovesick’, Cruz,” Jackson rolled his eyes, “I’m just trying to figure out what’s wrong with him.”

“I think you’re trying to figure out what’s so right with him that he made you fall for him so fast,” Cruz countered.

“That’s the dumbest sentence you’ve ever said.”

She laughed, “I’ve said dumber.”

“Like when you said I have a crush on Danny?” Jackson asked, “Because I don’t”

“You don’t?”

“No, I fucking don’t,” Jackson rolled his eyes.

“You don’t,” she repeated.

“I just said that, Twice now.”

“You,” she started, “don’t have a crush. On Danny. From next door.”

“No?” Jackson said, “What are you doing?”

“Why do you think I’m doing something?”

“You keep repeating what I’m saying, as a question.”

“You don’t have a crush on Danny,” Cruz shrugged, “Just making sure I’m following.”

“You are,” Jackson rolled his eyes, “for once.”

“So, you, Jackson Storm, do not have a crush on Danny from the tattoo parlor next door.” she stated.

“No,”

“You wouldn’t be upset if you found out he was dating that Tim guy?” Cruz asked, “Because you don’t have a crush on him.”

“Why would I give a shit?” Jackson asked, crossing his arms.

“Oh, I don’t know,” Cruz shrugged, “you’re the one who seemed upset when they came in and were talking.”

“Cause I’m tired of idiots coming in here.”

“That’s the only reason?”

“Yup,” Jackson nodded.

“You weren’t jealous at all?”

“Why would I be?” Jackson rolled his eyes.

“Don’t know, Tim and Danny seemed really close though,” she hummed, “All smiles and what not.”

“Did they?” Jackson shrugged, “I didn’t notice.”

“Yeah, looked like Danny was showing Tim one of his tattoos or something,” Cruz nodded.

“They work together,” Jackson deadpanned, “at a tattoo shop.”

“Yeah but they were super touchy.”

“No they weren’t,” Jackson argued.

“They totally were! How’d you miss it?” Cruz nodded, “They were holding hands and Tim kept brushing Danny’s hair out of his face and everything.”

“He did it twice,” Jackson rolled his eyes, “that’s not that much.”

Cruz grinned, “I thought you said you didn’t notice.”

“Yeah, well, since you mentioned it I knew what you meant,” Jackson argued.

“You knew that it only happened twice, though?” Cruz asked, “You wouldn’t be able to tell me anything about any of the customers here, but you know how many times Tim moved Danny’s hair.”

“I feel like I described that girl way better than you.”

“Oh, yeah. The girl who came in to talk to Danny?”

“The _customer_ who,” Jackson sighed, “came in and talked to Danny…”

“I feel like you’re proving my point,” Cruz laughed, “you like him. Or at least… think he’s hot.”

“I wanted to be ready if Danny gets murdered,” Jackson frowned, “It has nothing to do with him.”

“What about if anyone else in the store gets murdered?” Cruz asked.

“No one else has been dragged out of the store, so I don’t know yet.”

“Mhmm, you know you’re allowed to have a crush right? The world won’t end if you start having feelings.”

“What kind of stupid shit is that to say?” Jackson scoffed, “The fuck are you on about?”

“I’m on about the fact that you never do anything when you get a crush.”

The man shook his head, “I don’t have a crush, that’s juvenile, Cruz.”

“Would you rather I call it simping? Or falling in love?” Cruz laughed, “I figured that since you’ve only known the guy two days, a crush was the best word. But we can call it love.”

“No!” Jackson’s voice broke, but he acted like it didn’t, “That’s not what I fucking mean, you know that.”

“Crush it is then,” Cruz smiled.

“You’re lucky Ray taught me violence isn’t the answer.”

“Oh, speaking of,” Cruz started, “you’d think you’d be better at arguing your case, since Mike’s a lawyer.”

“Do I look like a lawyer to you?” Jackson rolled his eyes, “Jobs aren’t fuckin familial for most people.”

“I just figured you’d pick something up,” Cruz teased.

“I don’t go with him to work, where the fuck would I pick it up?”

“The same place you pick up all your other weird knowledge? I don’t know.”

Jackson glared at Cruz, “I’m done talking about this.” He adjusted his gardener’s gloves and turned his attention to the wall of flowers, “You’re a bitch, Cruz.”

Cruz was taken aback, but nodded, “Alright, sorry Jack.”

“Are you really?” He sighed, “Cause I don’t think you are.”

Cruz nodded, “I’m sorry I upset you.”

“Sorry,” he grumbled, “I just don’t see why it fucking matters to you so much whether or not I like someone.”

“It matters because I want you to be in a happy relationship,” Cruz rolled her eyes, “we’re friends, Jackson.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t have a crush” he frowned, “and it’s annoying to hear about.”

Cruz frowned slightly, “Alright I’ll drop it.”

Jackson smiled slightly, “So, you got asked out. How’s that feeling? And don’t say it’s fine, Ci, I know you better than that.”

Cruz blushed slightly, “I asked if she could hang out, it’s not a date,” she sighed, “I don’t even know if she likes girls.”

Jackson snorted, covering his mouth as he laughed, “I was asking about Tim, dumbass.”

Cruz rolled her eyes, “Same way it always feels. Annoying and uncomfortable.”

“Think Nat heard?”

“I don’t know,” Cruz frowned, “do you think she did?”

“Yup,” Jackson popped the p, “looked upset.”

“Oh my God,” Cruz groaned, “how am I going to explain that?”

“Seems easy to me,” Jackson shrugged, “I’m actually gay and didn’t feel like explaining that to a stranger when he asked me out.”

“...but…” Cruz pouted, “That’s so embarrassing! And he was her coworker! What if she’s upset I turned him down?”

“Are you fucking kidding?” Jackson asked.

“Do I look like I’m kidding?”

“She’s into you. You know that right?” he asked.

“No she isn’t?” Cruz sighed

“...you’re not kidding,” Jackson realized.

“Jackson, why would I be kidding?”

Jackson frowned, “Because she’s obviously into you.”

“Jackson, no she isn’t!”

“You….you’re an idiot.”

“Shut up,” Cruz sighed.

“Cruz, Natalie wants to, at the very least, make out with you,” the man stated.

Cruz frowned, “No she doesn’t.”

“Are you blind?”

“Jackson, are you?”

“This isn’t about me.”

“She doesn’t like me!”

Jackson groaned, “She wants to fuck you at least. I’m sure other cheesy shit though.”

“How would you know?” Cruz rolled her eyes.

“The way she looks at you? And how she talks to you?” Jackson argued.

“You’re full of shit.”

“I’m not.”

Cruz rolled her eyes, “you totally are.”


	11. Chapter 11

Natalie rolled her eyes as Tim cheered her on, “Go get your princess, you… you’re not a knight in shining armor though… this metaphor is stupid, isn’t it?”

Natalie nodded, “Yeah, just like you!”

“You’re just mad she said she’s not looking for a relationship,” Tim frowned, “Don’t take that out on me.”

“You’re the one who fucking bugged her.” Natalie elbowed Tim.

“I asked her out, that’s not bugging.”

Danny blinked, “You asked her out? I thought that was a joke.”

Tim rolled his eyes, “After Stella pulled you out, yeah.”

Danny frowned, “I didn’t think you were going to do that.”

“Well I did,” Tim stated, “And she turned me down.”

“By saying she wasn’t interested in dating,” Natalie whined.

“She probably just wanted an excuse he wouldn’t push.”

“She sounded serious to me,” Natalie whined.

“Seriously tired of my shit, yeah,” Tim chuckled, “Apologize to her for me, will ya?”

“I already did,” Natalie rolled her eyes, “I’ve gotten used to apologizing for your shit.”

“Cool.” he nodded.

Danny frowned, “wait what kind of shit? Tim you weren’t too over the top, were you?”

“Don’t worry about it,” he answered.

“Tim, what’d you do?” Danny asked, “I’m worried.”

“I asked her out, then I said something, then I held her hand, said some other things, and left.”

“...what’d you say?” Danny asked.

Tim winked, “Don’t worry about it.”

Danny huffed, crossing his arms, “Rude, I want to know.”

“Then ask her.”

“ _Tim_ ,” Danny whined.

“ _Danny_ ,” Tim imitated.

“What’d you _tell her?_ ” he pouted.

“Why do you wanna _know?_ ” Tim answered.

“I’m curious,” Danny huffed, “And I wanna know if Nat still has a chance.”

“I don’t,” Natalie stated.

“Please, Tim,” Danny whined, “I wanna know.”

“Then ask Ms Cruz,” Tim laughed, “Nat, you gotta take your lunch now, you have a client soon.”

Natalie rolled her eyes, “I was trying to leave when you dumbasses distracted me!”

“Bye, have fun planning your play date.”

“I’m not fucking ten,” Natalie flipped the boys off, “it’s not a play date.”

“...date.”

“...it’s not a date either I guess.”

“....A play?” Tim offered jokingly.

“Shut up, dumbass.”

“It’s gotta be something, Nat,” Tim stated.

“We’re just hanging out.”

“Like _hanging out_ or hanging out?” Danny asked.

“... I don’t know.”

“Ask then,” Tim suggested.

“I’m not going to ask,” Natalie frowned.

“What if you kiss?” he asked, “What if this is some kind of...house call.”

“I’m 95% sure it’s not that.”

“The other 5% is wishful thinking?” Danny teased.

“Shut up Danny,” Natalie rolled her eyes, “you don’t have room to talk.”

“Yes I do,” Danny argued, “Jackson hasn’t asked me out!”

“The tall guy who kept watching us until Stella kidnapped you?” Tim asked.

“Tall guy,” Danny nodded.

“He was real descriptive about Stella when I asked who dragged you away,” Natalie hummed.

“Yeah he was looking at Danny and I like the whole time we were there,” Tim looked at Danny, 

“you don’t have a stalker, do you?”

“Nah, he just hates my guts,” Danny shrugged, “No big deal.”

“That’s one thing to call it.” Natalie rolled her eyes, “Danny, last call for coming with me.”

“Wait, what would you call it?” Danny asked, following Natalie.

“That he’s undressing you with your eyes and is socially inept?” Natalie suggested, smiling when the fresh air hits her face.

“He is not!” Danny argued, “He’s probably just planning my murder.”

“Is that what teens call it these days?”

“Shut up, Natalie.”

“Do I get to be the maid of honor at your wedding to him?” 

“I have two sisters you’ll have to fight for it… when I get married to whoever.” Danny rolled his eyes.

“I think Cruz is more of the threat,” Natalie hummed, “I bet she and Jackson already have some deal going.”

“Why would Cruz be my maid of honor when I get married? I barely know her.”

“Because she’d be Jackson’s first choice, don’t you think?”

“Even if I married Jackson,” Danny started, “Why would she be my maid of honor?”

Natalie blinked, “...Isn’t there only one?”

Danny frowned, “Usually a bride has a maid of honor and a groom has a best man… it’s not… hetero weddings are weird, Nat.”

“...Can I be the best man then?” She asked.

“What don’t you understand about my having two sisters?”

“That you like me more than them so I don’t get the hang up,” she laughed, opening the door to Cruz’s shop.

Danny rolled his eyes as the pair walked in, “You’d have to fight Stella to the death, could you handle that?”

“Please don’t kill anyone,” Cruz called from where she was crouched behind the counter.

“Unless it’s Danny,” Jackson smirked, leaning against the wall behind him.

Danny glanced at Natalie, whispering “I told you,” before smiling brightly, “Hey! I hope Tim wasn’t too annoying earlier.”

“Not at all!” Cruz hummed, standing and revealing dirt on her cheeks, “I mean...a little, but not a lot.”

“You look like an idiot, Ci,” Jackson chuckled, pointing to the dirt on her cheeks. She responded by attempting to wipe it off with her hand, which was still gloved and covered in dirt, effectively spreading the mess.

“Did I get it?” Cruz asked.

Natalie couldn’t help but giggle as she walked over, “You actually made it worse. Here, let me help.”

Cruz blinked, then nodded, lowering her hands and leaning forward to give Natalie full access to her face. She blushed and mumbled, “Thanks, Nat.”

Jackson rolled his eyes, before looking at Danny, “So are you and Natalie attached at the hip, or do you have a social life outside of hanging out with her?”

“I was here earlier today without her,” Danny blinked, not following at all.

Jackson frowned, “Yeah do you like, only go to work and here? Where did you hang out before Natalie came here?”

“I hung out with my sisters a lot, and Natalie and I would go to the mall and crap,” Danny listed, completely missing the insulting nature of what Jackson was saying, “Most of my dates are at restaurants, but there were a few at a park near my apartment.”

Jackson tilted his head slightly, puzzled, before nodding, “... alright.”

“There’s a cool pizza place down the street from me,” Danny said, “Sometimes I go have dinner there.”

Jackson shrugged, unsure what to say, “... cool?” he started to walk away.

“Hey you don’t happen to know,” Danny followed Jackson, “what Tim told Cruz earlier? He won’t tell me and it’s really frustrating and annoying to not know.”

“Why do you want to know?” Jackson asked, “I don’t see why it matters to you. Or me, for that matter.”

Danny shrugged, “I want to know because Natalie’s worried he ruined her chance with Cruz forever or whatever, and... I’m pretty sure you’d want to know if it was something that would upset Cruz?”

Jackson turned to Danny, looking completely unimpressed, “That all?”

Danny shrugged, frowning, “I… guess. Were you expecting more?”

“He just said she was hot and willing to hook up if that’s what she wants,” Jackson shrugged, “Said something about being a gentleman. It made her laugh and she was a little annoyed, but not really...upset. Seemed like it was a joke, but I might not have been paying attention.”

Danny’s brows furrowed in concentration, “I’ll… talk to him about that. He’s kinda an ass sometimes.”

“She’s probably forgotten already, she deals with worse,” he said plainly, turning back to the plant he was tending to, “Honestly, I don’t think that’s what’s on her mind from this morning.”

Danny frowned, “Still though, he wasn’t weird to you too, was he?”

“I wasn’t listening too closely. I didn’t notice anything toward me,” Jackson hummed, “I was distracted by the customers walking around.”

Danny nodded, “Did something else happen? You said something else was on Cruz’s mind.”

“Not mine to share, Danny.” Jackson answered calmly, “You can always just ask her how she feels about it all, you know that, right?”

Danny shrugged, “I don’t want to bug her, or fuck things up for Natalie,” he looked at Jackson, “You _already_ think I’m annoying and dumb, so what do I have to lose?”

“You think I won’t fuck things up for Natalie? I’m most likely to successfully,” he tilted his head.

“Well I think you like Cruz okay, and I know Natalie likes Cruz so I feel like you wouldn’t,” Danny shrugged again, “and besides, it’s not directly my fault that way.”

“I…” he frowned, “I guess.”

“Did that make sense?” Danny frowned, “I can try again, if I said it weird.”

“No, you...have a point.”

Danny nodded, “Okay, cool.”

“Cruz likes Natalie too.” he stated.

“I thought so, but I didn’t want to… jump to conclusions.”

Jackson glared at him, “You can’t tell Natalie though, Cruz deserves to struggle a little.”

“It’s not like she’d listen,” Danny rolled his eyes, “Tim and I tried telling her like five times this morning.”

“Don’t they have a date this weekend?” he asked.

“Natalie heard Cruz say she didn’t want to date, and now she keeps insisting they’re just hanging out.”

“Cruz didn’t want to get the turning straight talk,” Jackson shook his head, “Or make him think he had a chance.”

Danny nodded, “We told her that too.”

“So...she’s stupid.” he said

“No she just doesn’t know how to have feelings,” Danny shrugged.

“She seems to be pretty aware that she’s into Cruz,” he pointed out.

“That doesn’t mean she knows how to deal with that.”

“...Well she’s gonna need to.”

“That doesn’t mean she’s going to actually do it.”

“That sucks.”

“Yeah well hopefully one of them is competent.”

Jackson stared at him, “Yeah?”

“Yeah,” Danny nodded, “it’d really suck if they were both idiots.”

Jackson frowned, “You’re one to talk.”

“I have an excuse,” Danny shrugged, “I got a doctor’s note and everything.”

“What about Tim?” Jackson asked.

“What about him?”

“You’re two idiots?”

“Do you think…” Danny frowned, “Tim and I aren’t… what?”

“No, you’re both idiots. I know that pretty certainly,” Jackson said.

“Yeah but we’re not… we’re coworkers.”

Jackson frowned, “...I’m not gonna beat you up for being gay, dude, chill.”

“I kinda figured… but Tim and I are like… we smoke together sometimes, but we’re just friends.”

Jackson rolled his eyes, “Dude, you don’t need to explain your relationship to me, I don’t care that much.”

“But you’re wrong. I’m not trying to lie to you, we’re friends.”

“...with benefits?”

“The only benefit is free tattoos.”

Jackson blinked, “...so you think his skin is nice?”

“What?” Danny looked confused, “Sure, I guess.”

“...cool.” Jackson turned his full attention back to tending to the plant.

“... I can give you his number if you want.”

“I don’t want to fuck your… _friend_.”

“Why’d you say friend that way? I talk to more than just Natalie.” Danny frowned.

“Yeah but you two talk,” Jackson tried to keep his face neutral.

“I’m not hooking up with Tim!” Danny tried to explain, “I literally have never even thought about it.”

“...You two okay over there?” Natalie frowned, having finished cleaning up Cruz, “Is someone hooking up with Tim?”

“I’m certainly not,” Cruz grumbled, taking off her gloves.

“No one is!” Danny said, “Unless Jackson is and that’s why he’s being so weird.”

“....I was there when they met...like three hours ago,” Cruz stated, “ He’s been here that whole time? Why do you think he’s hooking up with Tim?”

“He’s projecting,” Jackson shrugged.

“I am not!” Danny said, “first of all, he’s not my type, second, I’ve known him longer than I’ve known Natalie, that’d be weird.”

“What’s your type?” Cruz asked, genuinely curious.

“People date their childhood best friends all the time,” Jackson argued, “My little sister totally has a crush on someone she’s known longer than she’s known me.”

Danny looked at Jackson confused, before turning back to where Cruz and Natalie were, “Not Tim.”

“....can….you elaborate?” Cruz asked.

Danny shrugged, “sure,” he said, “why though?”

“Curiosity.”

“Uhh… tall,” Danny started, “kinda mean sometimes, dark eyes, but also like… nice too?”

Cruz beamed, “Yeah?”

“… Yeah.” Danny nodded.

“Sounds like someone I know.” she stated.

“You’re not referring to anyone in specific, are you, D?” Natalie smirked.

“No,” Danny blushed.

“It was kinda specific,” Jackson said.

“Not really,” Danny shrugged, refusing to make eye contact, “I could’ve been more specific, I could’ve been all ‘he likes plants and pretends not to care about his friends in public’, but I didn’t.”

“You just did though?” Cruz pointed out.

“That wasn’t a real example, it was… what’s the word? Hypothetical.” Danny tried to explain.

“Pretty specific for conjecture,” Natalie nodded.

“You know I don’t know what that word means,” Danny frowned.

“A wrong conclusion,” Jackson stated, “Pretty sure Natalie misused it.”

“Oh,” Danny nodded, smiling at Jackson, “okay, cool.”

“Speculation would’ve fit better and made sense.” he continued, not looking at the others, “Because it’s when you make a...suggested scenario for the sake of the argument itself.”

“Stop being smart and an idiot, nerd boy,” Cruz said.

“Fuck off, Ci,” Jackson rolled his eyes.

Danny beamed, “I don’t know, I appreciate when people correct Nat.”

“Rude,” Natalie huffed.

“Jackson one time put a mint in his dad’s coffee because he thought it was normal.” Cruz stated, “Praising him is not allowed.”

“Shut the fuck up, Cruz.” Jackson crossed his arms.

“....who puts mints in coffee?” Danny asked.

“Jackson does, apparently,” Natalie grinned.

“It was one time.” Jackson huffed.

“You were seventeen, I feel like that’s inexcusable.” Cruz countered.

“Ray still drank it.”

“You having a saint for a dad doesn’t change the fact that what you did was weird and gross.”

“Ray is not a saint,” Jackson argued.

“Yes he is?” Cruz frowned.

“...yeah...he kinda is.”

Danny frowned, “I should go back soon, I think I have a client,” he announced.

“You had a full schedule today, but I think Jasper cancelled,” Natalie shrugged, “He was your night though, so I think you might have one now.”

Jackson rolled his eyes, “What, you can’t keep track of your own schedule?”

“Jackson,” Cruz frowned, “He has a head injury.”

“What?” Jackson asked.

“Oh I don’t remember telling you guys about the concussion…” Danny blinked.

Natalie shook her head, “I told Cruz, because she asked if you were okay earlier.”

“Oh I’m fine I just got a concussion,” Danny nodded.

“What happened?” Jackson asked.

Danny did jazz hands, “Car crash.”

“Are you okay?” Cruz asked.

“Uhh… my car was totalled, but besides that it was just some bad bruising.”

“And a concussion?” Jackson added.

“... what do you think a concussion is?”

“...head trauma?” Cruz offered.

“Well yeah but it’s just… like a brain bruise,” Danny explained, “except longer term.”

“Yeah, I think that qualifies as its own thing,” Jackson stated.

“What?” Danny asked, “It’s totally just internal bruising.”

“I don’t think it is.” Jackson argued.

Danny frowned, “...okay.”

“How long ago was the crash?” Cruz asked.

“Three and a half weeks?” Danny asked, turning to verify with Natalie.

“That sounds about right,” Natalie nodded, then frowned, “No, wait, three weeks and five days.”

Danny nodded, “...yeah.”

Jackson frowned, “You got concussed in a car accident and you’re still working?”

“Chick made him take two weeks off but Danny refused to take off more time,” Natalie explained.

“I’m fine!” Danny protested, “it’s not that bad.”

“It sounds pretty bad,” Cruz mumbled.

Danny sighed, “I’ve had worse. I should go though.”

“Yeah, I’ll go with you,” Natalie sighed, “Bye Cruz, see you on Saturday.”


	12. Chapter 12

After it was just Cruz and Jackson in the store, no tattoo artists or customers, she grinned, softly saying, “You were really nice today. To Danny, I mean.”

“I just talked to him like normal?” Jackson raised an eyebrow.

“Yeah but that’s a lot compared to yesterday.”

“He’s hurt.” Jackson shrugged.

“You didn’t know that,” Cruz countered.

“He was asking about you.” he stated calmly.

“What was he asking?” Cruz prompted.

“If you were okay after his friend this morning,” Jackson said, “Mostly about that, nothing interesting really.”

Cruz smiled softly, “He’s sweet, I like when he’s around.”

Jackson rolled his eyes, “Does that have anything to do with the fact that he brings Natalie?”

“...I think it might, but also I just think he’s cool,” Cruz admitted softly, “Natalie is a nice addition though.”

“Yeah, Natalie’s fun.”

“You think so?” Cruz asked, then sighed, “Shoot, I made myself look like an idiot in front of her today…”

“Well she doesn’t seem to mind hanging out with idiots,” Jackson shrugged.

“Having a dumb friend is different,” she mumbled.

“I think she likes you,” Jackson shrugged, “but what do I know?”

“I…” Cruz shook her head, “You’re smarter than you give yourself credit for.”

Jackson smiled, “And you’re more likable than you give yourself credit for, stop assuming you screwed up like every five minutes.”

“Someone is feeling extra nice today, aren’t they?” she teased, elbowing him.

“Shut the fuck up, Cruz,” Jackson rolled his eyes, “I have a reputation to maintain.”

“Okay asshole,” she beamed, “How’re your siblings by the way? You mentioned Rosie is still crushing on Sam?”

“Yeah,” Jackson nodded, “and I think Daniel’s trying to go through a rebellious phase, by missing curfew by five minutes.”

“Good for him.”

“Yeah I guess.”

“What’s he doing even getting close to curfew anyways?” Cruz asked, “It’s like 10 isn’t it?”

“He’s hanging out with some kid he met over the summer.”

Cruz grinned, “Hanging out or _hanging out?_


	13. Chapter 13

“He’s so smart,” Danny hummed dreamily, leaning over the counter to look at Natalie and Tim on the couch arguing.

“What?” Tim turned to Danny, holding a hand up to silence Natalie.

Natalie swatted at his hand, “He’s talking about Jackson. Still.”

“Danny have you had a conversation with the guy where he didn’t call you annoying or dumb?” Tim asked, “Because I’m pretty sure that’s a no.”

“I have!” Danny argued.

“When?” Natalie asked

“Earlier today.”

Natalie smirked, “Before or after he accused you of sleeping with Tim?”

“Wait,” Tim sat up, “what happened?”

“Jackson thinks you’re dating.” Natalie shrugged.

Danny frowned, “I told him we weren’t and I think now he thinks we’re friends with benefits or whatever.”

“Really?” Tim laughed, “No joke?”

“He seemed pretty serious.”

“So...I should go tell him to stop hitting on you?” Tim offered.

“No!” Danny protested, “I spent like ten minutes telling him we aren’t a thing.”

“....And....what’d he say?” 

“That he doesn’t care about my weird relationship.”

“...So he still thinks we’re together?” Tim attempted to clarify.

“Absolutely.” Natalie nodded, “Then Cruz made him describe his ‘type’.”

“What’d you say?” Tim asked Danny.

“Oh, nothing too embarrassing,” Natalie grinned, “he just described Jackson who was… about three feet away?”

“What’d he say?” Tim looked giddy.

Danny sighed, “He said it was kinda specific, but then Natalie used the wrong word and he corrected her.”

“And the correction is why you keep talking about how smart he is?” Tim asked.

“He’s….really smart.” Danny offered.

“Danny is just worked up because of the attention Jackson wasn’t giving him,” Natalie teased.

“I am _not!_ ” Danny argued.

“So I… should go yell at him for hitting on Danny?” Tim asked, grinning.

“...yeah, I think it’d be really funny,” Natalie beamed.

Danny pouted, “Please don’t.”

Tim stood, “I’m gonna.”

“Tim you’ll ruin any chance I have with him,” Danny whined.

“We can stage a dramatic breakup next week to regain your chance,” Tim teased, “right outside the flower shop so they can see.”

“Then he’ll be extra mean!”

“Danny,” Natalie started, “if he’s extra mean after a breakup, fake or not, you deserve better.”

“....But….hear me out….I kinda like when he’s mean,” Danny mumbled.

Tim stared at Danny for a moment, “So then it’ll work in your favor either way… why would you like that he’s mean?”

“I don’t know,” Danny frowned, “He looks alive when he does….it’s pretty.”

“You’re such a fucking useless gay,” Natalie rolled her eyes.

“Hey how’s planning your _hang out_ going?” Danny retorted.

“We’re getting lunch on Saturday,” Natalie answered, “And going to a museum after that.”

“It’s a date?” Tim asked.

“....No.” Natalie shook her head, “We’re just hanging out.”

“In the middle of the day? At a museum?” Tim challenged.

“...Yes,” Natalie nodded.

“Sounds like a date to me,” Danny shrugged.

“Well it isn’t one.”

“Natalie, it totally is,” Tim argued, standing, “now I’m gonna go tell Jackson to step off my man or something, Nat do you want to come?”

Natalie shrugged, “Do you want me to?”

“Do you want an excuse to ogle Cruz?” Tim countered

“I mean, always,” Natalie nodded, standing.

“You two are ruining my life,” Danny whined, “destroying it.”

“Damn…” Tim sighed, considering this before grinning, “That sucks for you.”

“Tim” Danny whined.

Tim turned away, before saying, “Bye, Danny.”

“Bye Danny,” Natalie parrotted, beaming as she walked toward the door.

“What’s that about?” Chick asked, leaning back in his chair so he can see Danny from the other room, “Nat and Tim only get along when they’re teasing you.”

Danny sighed, “They’re going over so Tim can tell Jackson to stop hitting on me.”

“Is Jackson hitting on you?” the man asked.

“Not really,” Danny whined, “he somehow thinks Tim and I are dating.”

Chick laughed, “That’s dumb as hell.”

“I know,” Danny whined.


	14. Chapter 14

Jackson rolled his eyes as Natalie and Tim walked through the doors, “Cruz, they’re back” he called.

“Oh, did they notice I packed the order wrong? I just knew that peonies wouldn’t fit with the other flowers, but I have them in the back,” She sighed, coming in from the back room before smiling, “Oh! You meant Natalie.”

“Yeah,” Jackson frowned, “I meant Natalie.”

“You know I put lilies instead, don’t look disappointed,” she huffed, elbowing him, “Hi Natalie!”

“Hey Cruz,” Natalie smiled, “Hi Jackson.”

“What am I? A ghost?” Tim frowned.

“Hi Tim,” Cruz smiled awkwardly.

“Hey.” Jackson looked at the man, unimpressed.

“Yeah? _Hey_?” Tim repeated angrily, “You hit on my boy toy and you-” he’s cut off by his own laughter, “Shit, I can’t even say it with a straight face.”

Jackson raised an eyebrow, “I did what?”

“...Flirted with Danny?” Tim said, “Who I’m not anything with, by the way, I do have taste.”

“I didn’t _flirt_ with Danny,” Jackson rolled his eyes, “and I already told him I don’t care about your weird relationship.”

“You....were definitely flirting with Danny.”

Cruz giggled, then covered her mouth, “Sorry, I just...I told you so.”

“I was not!” Jackson defended, “I don’t even like him.”

“You don’t?” Natalie tilted her head.

“...No.” Jackson shook his head.

Tim laughed, “Well you at least think he’s hot, because you kept making eyes at him. You might want to get your vision checked by the way.”

“Making...eyes?” Jackson repeated.

Cruz pursed her lips and boosted herself up so she sat on the counter, leaning closer to Jackson before announcing, “His eyes are fine...and dark...and mean but sometimes nice.”

“Shut up, Cruz,” Jackson rolled his eyes.

“Oh, I didn’t even notice, they’re tall, and like flowers-”

“Plants,” Jackson corrected.

“Yeah?” Cruz grinned, then was pushed off the counter by her friend. “Shit,” She grunted when she hit the floor, “That’s foul play!”

“Says who?” Jackson rolled his eyes, before looking at Cruz, “You okay?”

Natalie couldn’t help but laugh, “Aww, Jackson you care about your friends even though you pretend not to!”

“I’m fine,” Cruz smiled, sitting up. She turned her attention to Natalie and relaxed, grinning, “Yeah he does!”

“...This is...disgusting.” Tim stated, crossing his arms.

Jackson rolled his eyes, “You don’t have to threaten me or anything, I’m not gonna… steal your… _boy toy_.”

“He’s not, I just didn’t wanna call him my boyfriend,” Tim rolled his eyes.

“… I won’t steal your boyfriend then.”

“He’s not.”

Jackson frowned, “You just said…”

“He’s my friend. Nothing more.” Tim stated.

“Then why did you come here to act like he wasn’t just your friend?”

Tim laughed, “To fuck with you. Obviously.”

Jackson rolled his eyes, “Okay, fine. I wasn’t hitting on your friend.”

“He was hitting on you,” Tim said casually.

“No he wasn’t?”

Tim stared at Jackson, “You’re fucking dense.”

“I hate to tell you,” Jackson shrugged, “I was there, he wasn’t hitting on me.”

Tim turned to Natalie, “Is he serious right now?”

Natalie hummed, “What was that? I stopped listening.”

Tim rolled his eyes, “I thought Danny said he was smart.”

“Danny called me smart?” Jackson asked.

Natalie rolled her eyes, “Doesn’t mean he was right.”

“ _Danny called me smart?_ ” Jackson repeated.

“Yeah,” Tim sighed.

“Yeah?” Cruz beamed, looking up at Jackson.

Natalie rolled her eyes, “Only like… seven times.”

“...I’m going home early.” Jackson stated.

“You’re leaving me?” the tall girl frowned, “Bitch.”

“Fuck you, I’ll be here tomorrow.”

“You’re leaving Cruz? That’s mean,” Natalie said.

“Yeah, well I’m kinda mean sometimes,” Jackson rolled his eyes.

“Bye Jackson,” Tim rolled his eyes.

“Bye,” Jackson said, as he left.

Cruz sighed, “Okay, now I need to be responsible.” She stood, brushing off her apron, “I can’t believe he ditched me.”

Natalie nodded, “Yeah that’s kind of a dick move.”

“It’s fine,” Cruz laughed, “I’m used to it, no harm no foul.”

“It’s still a dick move,” Tim shrugged.

“Nah,” Cruz shrugged, “Okay, I need to focus on closing up if I’m gonna be here alone for the rest of the night.” She smiled at Natalie, “I know I’ll see you on Saturday to hang out, but I saw that a burger place opened down the street...wanna get lunch together tomorrow?”

Natalie blushed, “uhh… yeah, I’d love to!”

“Cool!” Cruz beamed, “I can take lunch whenever, so just...come when you can.”

“I totally will,”

Tim rolled his eyes, “This is disgusting, I’m headed back to tell Danny I didn’t ruin his life.”

“Oh, tell him hi for me?” Cruz requested, “And that his life isn’t ruined.”

Tim nodded, “Sure thing,”

“Thanks Tim!” Cruz cheered, “Bye you two!”

“Bye, Cruz,” Natalie waved, blushing slightly.

“Have a good night,” she hummed, turning to the array of succulents against the window.


	15. Chapter 15

Cruz woke up to her phone ringing. She sat up, fumbling with it before she answered, “Hello?”

“Cruz, he said I was smart.”

“Jackson it’s the middle of the night and you’re thinking about the boy you supposedly don’t have a crush on?”

“... Maybe I have a _tiny_ crush on him.”

Cruz rolled her eyes, “No shit, Sherlock. Why are you awake?”

“...he said I was smart,” Jackson repeated.

“Oh my god, have you been fixating on that since you left?”

He was silent for a while before answering, “Among other things.”

“Jackson, what other things?”

“...he thinks my skin is nice?” Jackson said, “And he’s nice.”

Cruz sighed, “I almost miss when you insisted that you hate him.”

The man groaned, “Sorry…”

“It’s fine,” Cruz turned on the light, “you can’t help that you’re a dumbass. Do you want me to get his number from Natalie?”

“No then he’d think I’m a stalker like Tim said,” Jackson sighed, “Sorry for waking you up.”

Cruz shrugged, “It’s fine, just… maybe talk to him tomorrow? Like a normal person?”

“Did you text Natalie tonight?” He changed the subject.

“This isn’t about me.”

“Did you?”

“...I’ll text her if you can have a normal conversation with Danny.”

“...Fine,” he sighed, “I’ll do it tomorrow when they inevitably come in on their lunch.”

“You mean today?” Cruz asked, “It’s like 3am.”

“Fuck.” Jackson sighed, “I guess.”

Cruz nodded, before realizing Jackson couldn’t see her, “Cool, can I go back to bed now, or are you still having a crisis?”

“I…” Jackson trailed off, “I think Rosie is awake. I can go bug her to sleep.”

“Make sure you stop and get a coffee on your way in tomorrow, you’re a bitch when you’re tired,” Cruz smiled softly, “and tell your sister I love her.”

“Do you want anything? I owe it to you after waking you up,” he sat up, “I will.”

“You know my order,” Cruz said, “Jackson make sure you get at least a few hours of sleep, I don’t love you when you’re dead on your feet.”

“Yeah yeah, no need to be a bitch about it,” he smiled, “Sleep well, Ci.”

“You too, Jack, goodnight.”

Jackson hung up, rolling out of bed and stepping into the hall. Sure enough, the light in his little sister’s room was on. He walked in, knocking gently on the door before opening it, “Rosie Posie, why are you up?”

Rosie looked over from her desk, “Sam and I put off a group project that’s due tomorrow.”

Jackson sighed, “So you’re pulling an all nighter?”

“That or getting an F,” she grumbled.

Jackson frowned, “Anything I can help with?”

“Dad wouldn’t like that,” she sighed, “He said not to put it off, I need to learn my lesson.”

Jackson laughed softly, “I can still help and not tell dad, what class is it? You know I kept my notes.” 

“Sam and I can do it, it’s fine,” she said, “We’re almost done I think.”

Jackson nodded, “Alright, let me know.”

“Why are you up?” the girl asked.

“Nothing important,” Jackson shrugged, “focus on your schoolwork, Ro.”

“I want to know though,” Rosie hummed, “Please tell me? It’ll give me something to listen to while we finish.”

He rolled his eyes, “It’s just me being dumb and having a crush, nothing too interesting.”

“You have a crush?” she repeated excitedly, glancing away from the computer screen, “Is he pretty?”

Jackson walked into Rosie’s room and sat on the edge of her bed, “Yeah, he’s pretty.”

“What’s his name? Does Cruz know?” Rosie refocused on her assignment.

“Cruz knew before I did,” Jackson started, “and his name is Danny.”

“Cruz is smart like that,” she smiled, then pouted, “But our brother is named Danny, that’d be weird.”

Jackson laughed, “He’s been going by Daniel for like the past month because of that Eli kid.”

“Oh shoot, yeah,” Rosie nodded, “I forgot about that. Elijah is cool.”

“He’s alright,” Jackson shrugged.

“He’s _cool_ ,” she corrected.

“Okay, he’s cool,” Jackson smiled, “aren’t you supposed to be working on your schoolwork?”

Rosie turned her attention back to her assignment, “I’m just making sure you’re being nice about Eli.”

“I’m nice when he’s around,” Jackson countered, “and around Daniel.”

“And around me too, Eli is nice and cool and Daniel likes him a lot,” Rosie frowned.

“I know he does, I just want to make sure he’s good enough for Daniel.”

“Is it because he likes to dance?” Rosie whispered conspiratorially.

“Of course not,” Jackson rolled his eyes.

“Are you sure?”

“Positive,” Jackson nodded, “I’m going to go to bed now, okay?”

“Sleep good,” she nodded, “I probably will be at school by the time you’re up tomorrow, so good luck with Danny.”

Jackson smiled, “Goodnight, Cruz told me to tell you she loves you.”

“I love her too! She’s cooler than Elijah,” Rosie said, “She’s cooler than you and Daniel too.”

Jackson gasped, as he walked out of her room, “I’m telling Daniel you said that.”

“Do it, he’ll agree,” Rosie called back, “I promise I’ll get to bed soon.”

“You’d better,” Jackson said, before closing her door gently.

He returned to his room, texted Cruz, ‘Ro says she loves u too and that youre cooler than me and daniel and daniel’s crush’ before going to bed.


End file.
